New-home sales declined 7% month over month in Houston in January, according to the latest report from HomesUSA.com.
Homebuyers purchased 1,998 new homes during the month, down from 2,157 in December. Sales also decreased annually, with 2,046 homes sold in January 2025.
Days on market increased to 98.55, up from 95.67 a month prior and 89.43 days a year prior.
Pending sales declined from 1,532 in December to 1,463 in January. A year ago, 1,797 listings went under contract.
“January new-home sales numbers reflect seasonality, and I believe the Houston market will soon strengthen,” said Ben Caballero, CEO of HomesUSA.com. “Spring is always the best time for home sales.
Amid decreased sales, the average new-home price decreased 1% month over month from $400,111 to $396,723. In January 2025, the average new-home price was $395,515.
“With this year’s tax cuts, consumers will have more money, then the spring selling season will kick in soon, followed by a new Fed chairman focused on lowering interest rates,” Caballero added. “I will be surprised if Houston-area housing doesn’t have a very good year.”
In cold USDA Hardiness Zones 6 and lower, strawberries should be planted in the spring. This gives them enough time to become established before the cold winter weather sets in.
In addition to our descriptions of the best cultivars and what they have to offer, we’ve included a selection of strawberry seeds, bare roots, and live plants that are available from our trusted affiliates.
It’s time to pick your favorites and start planning the berry patch of your dreams!
1. AC Wendy
A vigorous early-season ‘Evangeline’ cross developed at the Kentville research station in Nova Scotia, ‘AC Wendy’ is known for its runner production and high fruit yields.
This variety isn’t picky – it does well in full sun and can be planted in both light and heavy soils.
Conical to wedge-shaped large fruits ripen early on this cold-tolerant June-bearing variety, which thrives in Zones 4 to 8.
The berries have a firm texture and are known for holding up well to freezer storage after harvest.
But since they produce their white flowers early, this also means there’s a potential for frost damage. Be sure to protect your crops in the case of a late freeze.
Vigorous growers with a prostrate habit, a mature height of 12 inches, and a spread of 24 to 36 inches, these plants are moderately resistant to powdery mildew and red stele fungal disease.
But they are susceptible to verticillium wilt and angular leaf spot.
These day-neutral sweeties have a high sugar content and they’re sure to please in terms of flavor.
A cross of ‘Diamante’ and ‘Cal 94.16-1’ developed at the University of California and released in 2006, ‘Albion’ produces long, conical fruit with a firm texture.
Resistant to verticillium wilt, Phytophthora crown rot, and anthracnose crown rot, this type is known for producing high yields of one to three pints of fruit per plant.
‘Albion’ does best if grown in full sun in Zones 4 to 8 (though some claim there’s some wiggle room here, expanding that range to Zones 3 to 9).
A reliable cultivar developed by the USDA and plant breeders at the University of Maryland, this cross of ‘US 4419’ and ‘MDVS 3184’ was first released in 1981.
‘All Star’ (or ‘Allstar’) has white flowers, and large fruit with a sweet and mild flavor. A firm texture means your harvest will hold up well to freezer storage.
This midseason June-bearing variety is highly resistant to red stele, and moderately resistant to verticillium wilt. It can even be planted in clay or sandy soils.
An heirloom alpine type, ‘Alexandria’ is a cultivar of F. vesca. It produces white flowers and teeny-tiny berries known for their delicious and distinct flavor and texture.
High yielding, runnerless, everbearing plants are happiest with some room to spread out, at least 18 inches between plants, and this type is also suited to growing as a ground cover.
Grow it in containers if you don’t want it to spread.
Looking for something a little different? How about strawberries that ripen to a pale yellow color?
With their gourmet flavor and an aroma reminiscent of pineapple, these tiny treats are less attractive to birds than their red counterparts, so there’s sure to be plenty left for you when harvest time rolls around.
This everbearing F. vesca cultivar produces white flowers, and is known for its high yields of small berries that are easy to pick from the stems.
‘Yellow Wonder’ does best in full sun in Zones 6 to 8. It has a prostrate growth habit, height of eight to 10 inches at maturity, and a spread of 14 to 18 inches.
Not only does this F. vesca cultivar boast a ghostly white color when ripe, it has an unusual flavor as well. Some say these taste like tropical fruit, others note hints of grape or rose.
If you’ve tried them before, please let us know in the comments what you think they taste like!
You won’t need to worry about protecting your crops with netting since birds won’t typically go after the colorless fruits, but you may want to lay out some shade covers to prevent sunburn.
All three types of alpine strawberries described above are also available as live plants in a convenient three-pack. You can find Burpee’s Alpine Collection here.
7. Berries Galore Pink Hybrid
Mature in 75 days, this hybrid everbearing variety produces sweet, medium-sized, pinkish-red fruit that can typically be harvested every three days or so throughout the season.
An early midseason June-bearing cultivar, ‘Camarosa’ does well in warmer climates.
In fact, this type is well-adapted to southern California in particular, and other hot areas at low latitudes.
Large and flat wedge-shaped fruits, similar to those you will often see at the grocery store, have a firm texture and good flavor.
A cross of ‘Douglas’ and ‘Cal 85.281-605’ bred at the University of California and released in 1992, it’s a relatively heat-tolerant variety, but best grown in Zones 5 to 8.
‘Camarosa’ produces white flowers and loves full sun. Mature plants reach a height of 10 to 12 inches with a spread of eight to 12 inches and a prostrate growth habit.
A midseason June-bearing cultivar, ‘Chandler’ produces firm, large, flavorful berries with that classic conical shape that you know and love.
Best suited to full sun conditions in Zones 5 to 8, this cultivar has a prostrate growth habit with a mature height of six to eight inches and a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
Bred at the University of California and released in 1983, this is a cross between ‘Douglas’ and ‘Cal 72.361-105.’
You’ll appreciate multiple harvests of sweet berries from June through first frost in the fall with this everbearing variety, even during the heat of the summer.
And pollinators love the magenta-pink flowers.
This cultivar has good cold tolerance, and is tolerant of mites and powdery mildew as well.
A French cross between ‘Mara des Bois’ and ‘Cal 19,’ ‘Charlotte’ is a vigorous grower that does best in full sun in Zones 3 to 8.
This everbearing hybrid produces white flowers. Best suited to full sun locations in Zones 3 to 8, this cultivar has a mounding habit, with a height and spread of 10 to 24 inches.
Possibly the earliest cultivar to produce a harvest during the growing season, ‘Earliglow’ is an early-season June-bearing variety.
It produces high yields of sweet, medium-sized, cone-shaped berries with a firm texture, so they’ll hold up to processing and freezing.
With a height of 12 inches and a spread of 24 to 36 inches at maturity, and a prostrate growth habit, this cultivar grows best in full sun in Zones 4 to 8.
With excellent resistance to red stele, and moderate resistance to root rot and verticillium wilt, this type is regarded as a good option for beginners.
Fragrant white flowers are attractive to pollinators, and it has a mounded habit.
For the best harvest, 500 chill hours are required. Berry size tends to decrease as the season progresses.
A late season everbearing variety that produces yields from July to October, shiny biconical berries are known for being easy to pick – the calyx breaks easily when fruits are ripe.
Another F1 hybrid, ‘Elan’ grows true to seed and has white flowers.
Grow these vigorous plants in full sun in Zones 5 to 8. You can expect a height of eight to 10 inches and spread of 14 to 18 inches at maturity, with a prostrate growth habit.
With cone-shaped berries that are particularly flavorful, this cultivar is known for being exceptionally heat tolerant.
In fact, it was bred specifically for growing in the southeastern US.
Expect the best yields in full sun locations in Zones 5 to 8. It does well in containers and small spaces, and is even known for producing quality fruit in its first year.
If you just can’t get enough strawberries throughout the growing season, you can expect three crops of flavorful fruit in the spring, summer, and fall with this day-neutral cultivar.
Developed by Edward Vinson Ltd. in the UK and released in 2006, this cross of ‘Everglade’ and ‘J92D12’ is best grown in full sun in Zones 4 to 8.
‘Evie-2’ is less sensitive to warm summer temperatures than other day-neutral varieties that may produce a smaller summertime harvest, with a prostrate growth habit.
A mid-season June-bearing variety developed by the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland and released in 2012, this one’s big on flavor with high yields of large, plump berries.
Vigorous plants with white flowers, they’re resistant to red stele and resistant or tolerant of most stem and leaf diseases known to plague strawberries.
‘Flavorfest’ is not susceptible to anthracnose crown and fruit rot.
Grown in full sun in containers or beds, ‘Flavorfest’ has a prostrate growth habit, with a height and spread of 12 to 16 inches at maturity.
A super hardy and vigorous cultivar that’s particularly disease resistant, this option is excellent for organic gardeners.
You won’t have to worry about black root rot, black vine weevils, or red stele with ‘Galletta.’ And it can be grown in heavy soil as well.
An ‘Earliglow’ and ‘NCH 87-22’ cross developed by Jim Ballington at North Carolina State University and released in 2010, this is an early-season June-bearing cultivar with white flowers and large, firm, aromatic berries.
This cultivar was developed at Cornell University by plant breeders at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES) and released in 1979.
A cross of ‘Vibrant’ and ‘Holiday,’ it was a top seller for decades, and remains popular among growers today.
Early midseason June-bearing plants produce white flowers and very high yields of medium-sized, bright red berries.
These are known for their relatively firm texture and for holding their color in processing, so they’re great for home canning.
Grow ‘Honeoye’ in full sun in Zones 3 to 9. This type is relatively adaptable, but it does best when planted in loamy, light soil and makes a lovely addition to raised beds.
You can expect a maximum height of eight to 10 inches with a spread of 12 inches.
Unfortunately, this cultivar does not exhibit any particular types of soil disease resistance, and it is susceptible to black root rot.
Producing large, juicy, wedge-shaped berries with a solid red hue inside and out, ‘Jewel’ berries are known for freezing well, and harvested fruit resists rotting in storage.
This late midseason June-bearing variety has fruit that’s easy to pick, with a low-growing prostrate habit, a max height of 12 inches, and a spread of 24 to 36 inches.
Developed at Cornell/NYSAES and released in 1985, ‘Jewel’ is a cross of ‘Senga Sengana’ and ‘NYE58’ with ‘Holiday.’
Best grown in full sun in Zones 4 to 8, plants are moderately winter hardy. This cultivar is susceptible to leaf spot, red stele, powdery mildew, black root rot, and verticillium wilt.
It’s not the toughest variety out there, but with a little extra TLC, you’ll love its pinkish white flowers and tasty fruit.
Provide 500 chill hours for best yields, and expect 75 days to harvest.
This is a day-neutral French variety first introduced by plant breeder Jacques Marionnet in 1991.
It is a cross between ‘Gento’ and ‘Osara’ with ‘Red Gauntlet’ and ‘Korona’ that’s great for growing in containers or raised beds.
You’ll love the small-to-medium-sized, sweet, conical berries that this cultivar produces.
Yields are sure to be plentiful from June until first frost, if grown in full sun in Zones 4 to 8. In fact, this type is sometimes said to be the most flavorful and aromatic of all cultivars.
With a height of just six to eight inches and a spread of 12 inches, this is an everbearing variety with a somewhat mounded growth habit that’s perfect for smaller spaces.
Frost tolerant, this type also exhibits resistance to fungal disease.
Its extra-large, showy white flowers are attractive to pollinators.
And trailing runners bearing conical, medium-sized fruits make this hybrid cultivar excellent for containers and hanging baskets.
With a compact mounding habit, this everbearing variety can reach a height and spread of 10 to 24 inches, if given the room. Growth is fast, once this cultivar becomes established.
Developed by J. B. Winn in Arkansas and released in 1955, this best-selling cultivar is a cross between ‘Red Rich’ and ‘Twentieth Century.’
With a large initial yield of extra-large, sweet, and juicy fruit, berries have a uniform shape and can grow up to four inches in size. Smaller harvests follow throughout the growing season.
This everbearing variety is a vigorous grower that’s resistant to leaf spot and leaf scorch. But ‘Ozark Beauty’ is susceptible to red stele, verticillium wilt, and anthracnose.
Expect a height of six to eight inches and spread of 12 to 24 inches at maturity. You can grow this type in full sun in Zones 4 to 8, or push your luck and give it a try in Zones 3 and 9.
This cultivar is known for being highly adaptable.
It is well-suited to northern climates and locations at a higher elevation in the south. It’s also very cold hardy if well cared for, reportedly able to survive low temperatures of -30°F.
Best grown in full sun in Zones 4 to 8 with a prostrate growth habit, Purple Wonder® will reach a mature height of eight to 12 inches and spread of 10 to 12 inches.
These don’t produce many runners and they’re excellent for growing in containers.
A June-bearing variety named for the university breeding program from whence it came and released in 2015, this Jersey type is juicy with a particularly delicious sweet-tart flavor, and it was “solely developed for fresh picking.”
Best in Zones 5 to 8, with a mounding habit and white flowers, grow ‘Rutgers Scarlet’ in full sun for the best yields.
A high yielding day-neutral plant that does well in a variety of soil types, ‘Seascape’ has a prostrate habit with large, conical, bright red berries that weigh about two ounces each.
Developed at the University of California and released in 1991, peak production for this cross between ‘Selva’ and ‘Douglas’ can be expected in August and September.
Heat tolerant and very resistant to disease, this cultivar does best in full sun in Zones 4 to 8, and it’s known as a favorite among growers in California and the northeastern regions of the US.
With a height and spread of 12 inches by 23 to 36 inches, this type will also do well in containers, and fragrant white flowers are attractive to pollinators.
You can expect 90 days to harvest, and 500 chill hours are required.
And if you want to keep strawberry season going in your garden for as long as possible, Burpee offers an All Season Collection of ‘Earliglow,’ ‘Jewel,’ and ‘Seascape’ bare root plants in packages of 25 each.
30. Sweet Charlie
Bred at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center with growers in the southern states in mind, this June-bearing early-season cultivar produces high yields of super sweet and flavorful medium-sized berries with a firm texture.
Expect one to two pints of fruit per plant, with larger berries produced at the beginning of the season.
‘Sweet Charlie’ will provide a second crop of large fruit at the very end of the season in some years.
These vigorous plants have a prostrate growth habit, and with a height of 12 inches and spread of 12 to 20 inches at maturity, they can be grown in containers.
Best planted in full sun in Zones 5 to 8, ‘Sweet Charlie’ is a cross of ‘FL 80-856’ and ‘Pajaro.’
Highly resistant to Collectotrichum acutatum anthracnose fruit rot, this cultivar is also resistant to Phomopsis fruit rot, crown rot, two-spotted spider mites, and powdery mildew.
But unfortunately, this type is susceptible to leaf blight and Botrytis fruit rot.
With a prostrate habit, this everbearing cultivar maxes out at 10 inches in height (usually somewhere closer to six to eight inches) with a spread of 12 to 16 inches.
A standout known for its fruit as well as its flowers, this everbearing variety from Dutch breeding company ABZ Seeds has tons of ornamental value, with deep rose-colored flowers, a lush prostrate habit, and sweet, small, dark red fruit.
‘Toscana’ was a winner of the 2011 FleuroStar Award granted by Fleuroselect. And this F1 hybrid is frost tolerant and great for self-sowing.
Another cultivar with equally impressive ornamental and edible value, ‘Tristan’ has deep rose-colored blooms and bright red berries.
These compact everbearing plants are known for being plagued with few problems, so they’re great for beginners. And kids will delight in harvesting their own sweet, homegrown berries.
Best grown in full sun in Zones 5 to 8, this type features a prostrate growth habit.
You’ve probably seen photos of these floating around the internet, and they’re not a hoax. In fact, white pineberries are becoming incredibly popular among growers today!
Dutch breeder Hans de Jongh developed this type from French source stock, and it was released in 2009.
Known for their white color and red seeds, F. virginiana x chiloensis ‘White Pineberry’ is almost like an inside-out or photo negative version of your typical strawberry.
Deer resistant, this unique cultivar is aromatic with a mild pineapple flavor, and it produces white flowers. No chill hours are required, and you can expect your first harvest in the second year.
Since they are only partially self-pollinating, another cultivar (such as ‘Quinalt’) is often also included with purchase to cross-pollinate and increase yields.
Even though these two types differ in appearance, they won’t develop hybridized fruit.
Just keep in mind that seeds planted from either variety will not grow true if they were cross-pollinated.
Both are everbearing, vigorous varieties that produce lots of unrooted runners – so they’re great for hanging planters – and ‘Quinalt’ produces red fruit.
Grow ‘White Pineberry’ in full sun in Zones 5 to 8 and expect a mature height of 10 inches.
If you’re looking for an impressively large strawberry, you’ve come to the right place!
‘Whopper’ produces berries that rival peaches in size, and these plants are extremely hardy and eager to multiply.
Unlike some of the other larger cultivars, these are sweet and juicy (because, as we all know, size isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to homegrown fruit!).
In addition to several raspberry bushes, my grandpop always had a few strawberry plants growing in the beds alongside his house, and my uncle Norm actually grew up to be a strawberry farmer.
A passion for berries runs deep in my family.
Who knows – maybe planting a few of these tasty cultivars will encourage the children in your life to develop a love of the land as well, pursuing careers in the agricultural sciences or growing into green-thumbed gardeners themselves, proud of their homegrown harvests.
Whether you crave just a few tasty and colorful berries each summer, continual harvests throughout the season, or a big batch of bursting with juice that you can pick for an all-hands-on-deck canning session, we hope you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for among our favorites.
What’s your go-to strawberry cultivar? Any suggestions to share? We love hearing from our readers – feel free to drop us a line in the comments below!
NorCal forecast: Freeze Warning Thursday night as the weather dries out
A few days of dry weather will give crews in in the mountains some much-needed time to plow and restore power.
ALL RIGHT. NOW TO KCRA 3 WEATHER. IT IS AN IMPACT DAY. BUT LOOK AT THIS. A LIVE LOOK FROM STOCKTON. WE DO HAVE SOME BLUE SKY OUT THERE, ALTHOUGH WE STILL HAVE THE CLOUDS. LET’S GET OVER TO DIRK WITH OUR FORECAST. YEAH, THE BIGGEST IMPACT TODAY HAS BEEN IN THE MOUNTAINS. WE HAVE HAD SOME SHOWERS, WE’VE HAD SOME HAIL AND SOME PRETTY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. BUT THE SIERRA, THAT’S WHERE WE CONTINUE TO SEE A PRETTY GOOD AMOUNT OF SNOW STILL FALLING. NOW WE ARE SEEING SOME SIGNS OF IT BREAKING A BIT AND THAT’S GOOD. LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK HERE. BETWEEN HIGHWAY 50 AND I-80. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE SOME OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW FALLING RIGHT NOW IN PLUMAS COUNTY AND EL DORADO COUNTIES, AND I-80, WHERE WE’VE BEEN SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK. ACTUALLY, THE SNOW PLOWS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF CATCH UP A LITTLE BIT. YOU CAN START SEEING SOME OF THE SURFACE OF THE ROAD HERE FROM THE DONNER SUMMIT SKY CAMERA THAT IS ICE ENCRUSTED WITH SOME OF THOSE SNOWFLAKES. GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A WINDOW TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ACTUAL I-80 DONNER SUMMIT AREA, BUT TEMPERATURE CURRENTLY 18 DEGREES WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 16MPH. SO LET’S GO AHEAD AND TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE RAIN HITTING THESE SPOTS WHERE THERE’S THESE LITTLE HEAVY DOWNPOURS, THESE LITTLE CELLS THAT ARE POPPING UP. THAT’S WHERE WE’RE SEEING HAIL THAT’S BEEN FORMING. AND SO THOSE ARE SPOTS THAT’S BEEN COLD ENOUGH TO WHERE WE’RE SEEING HAIL HAS HAD SEVERAL REPORTS OF HAIL. AND THOSE ARE THE MOST LIKELY SPOTS HERE ALONG HIGHWAY 108. WE’RE SEEING SOME. AND THAT’S GOING TO BE PUSHING IN AND TURNING INTO SOME SNOW AS IT MAKES ITS WAY UP INTO THE FOOTHILLS, UP ABOVE 1500 FEET. ALSO, JUST TO THE SOUTH OF IONE. YOU’RE KIND OF COMING OUT OF THIS AREA OF RAIN AS THIS IS MOVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE SOUTH TOWARDS SAN ANDREAS. IN JACKSON, YOU’VE BEEN SEEING SOME OF THAT RAIN. WE HAVE SOME RAIN NEAR CAMERON PARK CURRENTLY, AND AUBURN, WHICH EARLIER HAD SOME SNOW, IS NOW GETTING SOME LIGHT RAIN. SO SNOW THAT’S LAKE TAHOE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE PICTURE HERE SHOWING THE AREA BLANKETED WITH SOME FRESH SNOW. CURRENT TEMPERATURE AND TRUCKEE IS 25 DEGREES MODESTO 5154 IN STOCKTON AND 51 DEGREES CURRENTLY IN SACRAMENTO. SO ONCE WE GOT RID OF THE RAIN AND THINGS ARE DRYING OUT TEMPERATURES, THEY REBOUNDED A LITTLE BIT. EVEN WITH THAT COLD AIR THAT’S BRINGING OUT THOSE LOW SNOW LEVELS, CURRENT WINDS. WE HAVE WINDS 21MPH IN STOCKTON. THAT’S WHERE WE’RE SEEING SOME OF THE STRONGEST WINDS RIGHT NOW. 17 MILE AN HOUR WINDS IN FAIRFIELD, SAN FRANCISCO BEATS THEM ALL WITH A WIND COMING FROM THE WEST NORTHWEST AT 32MPH. SO WE HAVE THIS POCKET OF COLD AIR. IT’S MOVED IN AND WE’VE SEEN THE LOW SNOW LEVELS. AND THIS IS GOING TO MAKE FOR A COLD NIGHT TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY AREAS WHERE WE SEE THE CLOUD COVER STARTING TO CLEAR OUT. THAT’S JUST OPENING THE DOOR, ALLOWING THAT COLD AIR TO JUST SIT IN PLACE. ALTHOUGH ANY WARMTH IS GOING TO ESCAPE. AND WE’RE LOOKING AT A FREEZE WARNING THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT UNTIL 9:00 TOMORROW MORNING WITH SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES. BUT NOT EVERY PLACE IS GOING TO BE THE SAME. WE’RE LOOKING AT THE NORTH END OF THE VALLEY, STRETCHING ALL THE WAY UP INTO SHASTA COUNTY. THIS IS WHERE THE COLDEST AIR IS GOING TO BE. ANYWHERE FROM 23 TO 28 DEGREES. AND THEN YOU GET MORE TOWARDS SACRAMENTO AND ON INTO SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. AND THAT’S WHERE WE’RE EXPECTING TEMPERATURES TO RANGE MORE 29 TO 34 DEGREES. BUT STILL, THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY COLD TEMPERATURES FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE PLANTS OR ANYTHING THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BY THAT KIND OF COLD, TAKE CARE OF IT. TAKE CARE OF THAT BUSINESS SNOW THAT’S GOING TO BE DECREASING OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW MORNING. WE CAN SEE WE HAVE SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER. WE’RE GOING TO SEE WIDESPREAD FROST TOMORROW MORNING BECAUSE OF THE RAIN KIND OF ICY CONDITIONS TO WAKE UP TO IN THE MORNING FRIDAY. AS WE GET INTO THE AFTERNOON, WE WILL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE THAT WILL BE NICE TO WARM THINGS UP. AND THERE’S ALSO THIS BOUNDARY OUT HERE BRINGING SOME RAIN ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF CALIFORNIA. NOW, WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS IT’S GOING TO HANG OUT. WE’RE LOOKING AT DRY SATURDAY AS WELL. SO DRY ON FRIDAY, DRY ON SATURDAY. BUT ALONG THE COAST WE HAVE THESE SHOWERS THAT ARE PICKING UP. IT’S EXPECTED TO SWING IN A LITTLE BIT ON SUNDAY. WE COULD SEE SOME OF THESE SHOWERS BASICALLY PARALLEL WITH I-80. AND SO WE’LL SEE THAT FROM SACRAMENTO NORTH ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY. AND THEN THE BETTER CHANCE FOR RAIN ROLLS IN ON TUESDAY. BUT FOR TOMORROW, TEMPERATURES STARTING OFF AROUND FREEZING, THEN DAYTIME HIGHS LOOKING AT MOSTLY MID TO LOW 50S SEVEN DAY FORECAST. GETTING A NICE BREAK FRIDAY SATURDAY AND FOR SOME EVEN SUNDAY AND MONDAY. IT’S REALLY GOING TO BE TUESDAY THAT WE HAVE THE BETTER SHOT FOR RAIN AND THIS IS GOING TO BE WARMER SYSTEM WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING UP. WE’RE LOOKING AT SNOW LEVELS AROUND 7000FT. SO THOSE AREAS THAT HA
The next few days will be dry in the Valley, Foothills and Sierra.
That will give plow and power crews some much-needed time to clear roads and restore electricity.
Temperatures will plummet Friday morning with many Valley spots at of below freezing at sunrise. Saturday and Sunday will gradually turn milder.
A couple showers can’t be ruled out Sunday and Monday, but most places will stay dry both days.
Rain is likely on Tuesday and the snow level will stay at or even above the Sierra summits.
Cold Friday morning
A Freeze Warning is in effect Thursday night into Friday morning across the Valley.
Temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing in some Valley spots Friday morning. The Foothills may have some icy side streets with temperatures in the 20s. Many Sierra roads will be covered in snow and ice.
Sierra travel outlook
Snow will stop Thursday night and dry weather is in the forecast Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
It will take plow crews a while to remove all of the snow that’s fallen this week, especially on narrow side streets.
Drivers should expect chain controls and long travel times on Friday and maybe Saturday even with dry weather.
Friday’s high temperatures
Friday afternoon will be dry and chilly with a mix of sun and clouds. Temperatures will be running about 10 degrees cooler than normal.
Weekend forecast
The weekend will be warmer and mostly dry.
The only chance for a shower comes on Sunday. Areas east of I-5 including the Foothills and Sierra will stay dry while the west side of the Valley could see a few hundredths of an inch of rain.
KCRA 3 weather Impact Day Tuesday
The next round of widespread precipitation is in the forecast for Tuesday. This will be a much warmer storm system and the snow level will likely stay at or even above the Sierra passes.
The KCRA 3 weather team has issued a weather Impact Day for Tuesday because of how rain will affect travel and any outdoor plans.
Valley 7-day forecast
A few showers are possible Sunday and Monday, but Tuesday is more likely to be wet all day.
With a rebuilt front office and manager Warren Schaeffer entering his first full season at the helm, the Rockies enter spring training intent on rebounding from a 119-loss season that was the worst in franchise history and the third-most losses in the majors in a single season since 1901.
The following are some basics for spring training 2026:
Location:
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, Ariz.
Key dates
• Feb. 12: Pitchers and catchers report to camp • Feb. 17: First full-squad workout • Feb. 20: First Cactus League game vs. Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields (1:10 p.m. MST) • March 2: Game vs. World Series champion Dodgers, Salt River Fields (1:10 p.m.) • March 4: Game vs. Team USA (World Baseball Classic), Salt River Fields (1:10 p.m.)
Games on the radio
850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network (All times Denver time) • Feb. 20 vs. Diamondbacks (1 p.m. pregame/1:10 p.m. first pitch) • Feb. 22 at Rangers (12:55/1:05) • Feb. 24 vs. Angels (1/1:10) • Feb. 28 vs. Royals (1/1:10) • March 1 at Guardians (12:55/1:05) • March 2 vs. Dodgers (1/1:10) • March 4 vs. Team USA (1/1:10) • March 8 vs. Guardians (2/2:10) • March 9 at White Sox (1:55/2:05) • March 13 vs. Rangers (2/2:10) • March 15 at Angels (2/2:10) • March 17 vs. Mariners (2/2:10) • March 23 vs. Tigers (7/7:10)
Games on TV
Rockies.TV • Feb. 20 vs. Diamondbacks • Feb. 24 vs. Angels • Feb. 28 vs. Royals • March 2 vs. Dodgers • March 4 vs. Team USA • March 8 vs. Guardians • March 13 vs. Rangers • March 17 vs. Mariners • March 23 vs. Tigers
Key player additions
• LHP Brennan Bernardino: experienced lefty reliever. • RHP Michael Lorenzen: much-needed, experienced depth for the starting rotation. • RHP Pierson Ohl: depth for the bullpen. • OF Jake McCarthy: athleticism and speed at all three outfield positions. • UTL Willi Castro: switch-hitter who can play multiple infield positions, and the outfield, if needed. • INF Edouard Julien: provides veteran depth at second and first base. • 1B T.J. Rumfield: Triple-A infielder acquired from the Yankees will compete for the starting spot.
Key player subtractions
• LHP Austin Gomber: free-agent starter became a free agent, signed a minor league deal with the Rangers. • RHP German Marquez: free-agent starter became a free agent, remains unsigned. • RHP Angel Chivilli: strong-armed reliever traded to the Yankees. • 1B Michael Toglia: non-tender by Rockies, signed a minor league deal with Reds. • OF Yanquiel Fernández: designated for assignment, now a free agent.
Prospects to watch:
• 1B Charlie Condon (Rockies No. 2, via MLB Pipeline) • OF Zac Veen (No. 11) • LHP Carson Palmquist (No. 13) • RHP Gabriel Hughes (No. 14) • OF Sterlin Thompson (No. 15) • LHP Welinton Herrera (No. 20)
April Fools’ Day is a great time to insert some silly, harmless fun into the school day. It’s also a great opportunity to build classroom community, spark laughter, and encourage critical thinking in a low-pressure way. Add this April Fools’ Day unsolvable word search worksheet into morning work or assign it for extra work or as a “can do” when students are finished with their work. Have students work in groups to see if they can solve it, and the first group to call “April Fools’!” wins a prize. (Bonus points if they figure it out through teamwork and observation!) However you use this word search, students won’t forget it!
We Are Teachers
FREE PRINTABLE
April Fools’ Day Unsolvable Word Search
See who calls “April Fools’!” first when students discover the words listed on the worksheet aren’t actually in the word search.
How To Use the April Fools’ Day Worksheet
Adrienne Hathaway for We Are Teachers
April 1st is a day to keep students on their toes with harmless pranks, and the April Fools’ worksheet is a perfect school prank. It looks like a standard classroom activity, but students will find the words listed are actually not to be found in the word search. The first to call out “April Fools’!” wins. No one gets hurt, it’s academic, and students can talk about how they figured it out. This opens the door for great conversation about perseverance, patterns, and knowing when it’s OK to rethink your approach. You can assign this unsolvable word search as extra work during the day. Students who get the joke are sure to want to take the word search home to try it out on their families, so be sure to print some extra copies!
Get your free April Fools’ Day unsolvable word search!
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Just fill out the form on this page to download your free April Fools’ unsolvable word search.
Plus, check out our list of harmless April Fools’ pranks for kids of all ages!
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Samantha Cleaver, PhD, Special Ed & Reading Intervention
This Eggless Carrot Bundt Cake is incredibly moist, dense, tender, and packed with cozy cinnamon flavor—no eggs needed. Made with freshly grated carrots and finished with a silky cream cheese glaze. This is an easy, reliable bundt cake that works for breakfast, snack, or dessert and feels special without being fussy. It’s one of those cakes everyone reaches for again and again.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
After more than a decade of egg-free baking, I’ve learned that texture matters just as much as flavor—and carrot cake is one of those recipes that really shows it. This bundt cake quickly became a family favorite.
We love it. It’s soft, gently spiced, not too sweet, and incredibly forgiving. Plus, it works just as well on a busy weekday as it does on a holiday table. This is the kind of cake that proves egg-free baking doesn’t mean giving anything up—just baking a little smarter.
Why You’ll Want to Try My Recipe
Ultra-moist crumb: Carrots and oil keep the cake soft for days.
Warm spice flavor: Cozy, classic carrot cake taste without being overpowering.
Egg-free & allergy-friendly: Perfect for families avoiding eggs.
Easy bundt cake: Simple steps, no layering or frosting stress.
Versatile: Great for breakfast, snack, dessert, or brunch.
Cream cheese glaze: Just enough tangy sweetness to finish it perfectly.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Scroll down to the recipe card for all the details, including measurements and instructions
All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure. Measure carefully for the best texture.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Work together to lift the cake without eggs.
Spices: Cinnamon is the star, with ginger, nutmeg, and cloves adding warmth.
Milk + Vinegar: Creates a quick “buttermilk” for tenderness. Dairy-free milk works perfectly.
Neutral Oil: Keeps the cake moist for days.
Unsweetened Applesauce: Adds moisture and helps bind the batter.
Brown Sugar: Gives depth and a slight caramel flavor.
Freshly Grated Carrots: Finely grated carrots melt into the batter—don’t use pre-shredded.
Optional add-in: Chopped pecans or walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries
For the Cream Cheese Frosting (optional): You’ll need cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
Heavy Cream: You can use a non-dairy cream, such as Silk, Country Crock Plant Cream, or Califia Farms.
Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt until everything is evenly combined.
Combine Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the milk, vinegar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix gently until just combined.
Add Carrots
Fold in the carrots and any add-ins.
Bake
Pour the batter evenly into your prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan before turning it out to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the remaining frosting ingredients and mix until silky.
Frost and Decorate
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, add chopped nuts (if desired), slice, and enjoy.
Extra Recipe Tips For Success
➤ Troubleshooting Tips:
Cake Sticking to the Pan: Bundt pans can be tricky if not prepared well. Pro Tip: Use vegetable shortening (not butter) to grease every nook, then dust lightly with flour.
Dense or Gummy Texture: Overmixing can weigh the cake down. Pro Tip: Mix just until the flour disappears, then gently fold in the carrots.
Dry Cake: Too much flour or overbaking can dry it out. Pro Tip: Use a kitchen scale to measure the flour for best results. If a scale is not an option, spoon and level your flour, and start checking doneness around 50 minutes.
Measure the ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before starting the recipe, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal temperature.
Grate the carrots finely so they bake evenly and blend into the cake.
Don’t overmix the batter. Instead, mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout.
Bake the batter as soon as it is ready.
Don’t open the oven door until your baked good has set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time is stated in the recipe.
Know your oven! Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, affecting baking time, so keep an eye on yours.
Variations & Add-Ins
Add orange zest for a bright, citrusy note.
Add 3/4 cups of chopped pecans or walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate the glazed cake for up to 5 days.
Freeze unfrosted slices wrapped well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Grate Carrots for Carrot Cake?
First, peel the carrots and discard the ends. Then, select the finest holes on a cheese grater and carefully shred the carrots. You can also use a food processor to grate the carrots faster, but make sure the blade’s holes are small.
Can I Use Store Pre-Shredded Carrots for This Recipe?
When it comes to baking, I don’t recommend using store-bought pre-shredded carrots because these usually have lost a lot of moisture. So, I highly recommend grating fresh carrots.
Can I use this carrot cake recipe for cupcakes?
Probably, but I found this carrot cake recipe a bit too heavy for cupcakes. That is why I developed an eggless carrot cake cupcake recipe that I would recommend using instead.
Can I make a single-layer cake?
Yes! I recommend increasing the recipe by 50%. For a 13×9-inch pan, bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Please keep in mind that every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time. The cake is ready when you insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake, and it comes out clean.
Can I make this recipe in two round cake pans?
For two round cake pans, I recommend using my Eggless Carrot Cake Layer recipe (cookbook), which has already adjusted for best results.
This Eggless Carrot Bundt Cake is soft, moist, and warmly spiced with cinnamon, made easy with simple pantry ingredients. Grated carrots create a tender crumb, while a smooth cream cheese glaze adds the perfect finish. It’s a dependable egg-free cake that works for everyday baking and special occasions alike.
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Cook Time 1 hourhr
Total Time 1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Servings 12servings
Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional):
Get Recipe Ingredients
You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and lightly flour the bottom and sides of a Bundt pan. Tip: For best results, grease the pan with a thin layer of vegetable shortening, then dust with flour.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until well combined.
In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until smooth and well blended.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the grated carrots and any optional add-ins, if using.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Keep in mind that baking times may vary depending on your oven.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Then carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting (optional):
To prepare the frosting, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed until fully combined and smooth.
Frost the cooled cake if desired and garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts. Slice and serve.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate the glazed cake for up to 5 days. Freeze unfrosted slices wrapped well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. Food Allergy Swaps: This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
Heavy Cream: You can use a non-dairy cream, such as Silk, Country Crock Plant Cream, or Califia Farms.
Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Extra Recipe Tips For Success ➤ Troubleshooting Tips:
Cake Sticking to the Pan: Bundt pans can be tricky if not prepared well. Pro Tip: Use vegetable shortening (not butter) to grease every nook, then dust lightly with flour.
Dense or Gummy Texture: Overmixing can weigh the cake down. Pro Tip: Mix just until the flour disappears, then gently fold in the carrots.
Dry Cake: Too much flour or overbaking can dry it out. Pro Tip: Use a kitchen scale to measure the flour for best results. If a scale is not an option, spoon and level your flour, and start checking doneness around 50 minutes.
➤ Extra Tips:
Measure the ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before starting the recipe, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal temperature.
Grate the carrots finely so they bake evenly and blend into the cake.
Don’t overmix the batter. Instead, mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout.
Bake the batter as soon as it is ready.
Don’t open the oven door until your baked good has set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time is stated in the recipe.
Know your oven! Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, affecting baking time, so keep an eye on yours.
➤ Variations & Add-Ins:
Add orange zest for a bright, citrusy note.
Add 3/4 cups of chopped pecans or walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries.
Recipe reviews on the website are extremely valuable to other readers online. So, please don’t forget to give it a 5-star rating below.
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted March 2018, post content edited to add new photos and more helpful information. The recipe was slightly adjusted in January 2026 for better results.
Nobody ever says “I should have planted fewer narcissus bulbs” when the flowers start blooming in springtime. With their cheery bobbing heads, these happy harbingers of spring lift your spirits when nothing else in the garden has yet dared to declare victory over winter.
Narcissus—or do you say daffodil?—is one of the most familiar flowers in any garden or supermarket. I defy you to find one person who can’t identify a yellow narcissus (or even a white one). And yet there’s so much more to know. We could spend a week on jonquils alone! Let’s get started, with 10 things nobody tells you about Narcissus:
1. Narcissus and daffodil are the same flower (despite what snobs say).
Daffodil is the common name of Narcissus (a Latin word), and therein lies the daffodil’s image problem. It sounds more highfalutin to invoke Latin. When snobs say they don’t like daffodils, what they may be trying to say is they don’t care for the looks of the big, yellow, common varieties of Narcissus sold in supermarkets. That unloved trumpet flower, by the way, is Narcissus pseudonarcissus.
2. There are 40 different species of Narcissus—and thousands of varieties.
Above: “The multi-headed Narcissus tazetta, a genus and species which includes the celebrated ‘Paperwhite’ cultivar, are stimulated into growth by heat and smoke. The Narcissus tazetta bulb is Mediterranean and the bulbs expect intense heat as well as bush fires,” writes Kendra. Good luck growing this flower outdoors. Photograph by Howard Sooley.
Jonquils are also narcissi, in case you were wondering. Varieties of the species is Narcissus jonquilla are known for their small, delicate flowers and intense fragrance.
Another way to create the illusion of spring indoors is with flowering bulbs.
Hardy bulbs are available in nurseries and garden centers starting at the end of summer.
When shopping, choose those that are firm and weighty, with crisp, papery skins. If they feel spongy, brittle, or lightweight, keep looking.
It’s best to store your purchases in an unheated, dry location with good air circulation.
I keep mine outside in the shed, in a single layer in a rubber bin with a piece of metal screening for a cover.
The cover deters mice. Rodents love to snack on bulbs during the lean months of winter – except for daffodils. You may have to weigh the cover down with bricks to keep it in place.
Three of my favorite flowers to force are daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips.
Daffodils
Typically yellow, trumpet-shaped daffodils are hardy in Zones 3 to 9, where they prefer full sun and well-draining, sandy loam. They readily naturalize and are seldom disturbed by rodents.
‘February Gold’ is a miniature, frost-resistant cultivar that comes up right through the snow at a height of eight to 12 inches.
The ‘Blue Pearl’ cultivar requires a chilling period of 14 weeks and then blooms in about two weeks. You’ll love the sweet fragrance and dense clusters of violet-blue blossoms.
It is essential to mimic the winter cold with a chilling period.
Alternatively, buy pre-chilled varieties and skip this step. However, please note that when forced indoors, they are unlikely to bloom again.
You’ll Need:
Shards of pottery or small stones
Small trowel
Water
How To:
1. In early October, line the bottom of each container with pottery shards or stones.
2. Fill the containers with a mixture of mostly potting soil, a handful of peat moss, and about a teaspoon of granular bulb food.
3. Put one type of flower in each pot so watering suits all of them.
Set daffodils halfway down into the soil, pointed side up. Bury hyacinths and tulips deeper, with only the tips showing.
You’ll fit approximately three hyacinths, five daffodils, seven mini-daffodils, or five tulips in a six-inch diameter, standard depth pot, not touching, to allow for expansion.
4. Dampen the soil, but don’t make it soggy.
5. Cover the pots with screening.
6. Place the container(s) in a cool, dark location, such as an unheated garage. The temperature should be 40°F to 45°F.
Chill daffodils and hyacinths for 12 to 15 weeks and tulips for 15 to 17 weeks.
7. Lift the screening to check the pots every seven to 10 days. Moisten the soil sparingly to keep it from completely drying out.
8. After the appropriate chilling period, bring the pots indoors to a sunny windowsill.
9. Once you see sprouts, water until it runs through the drainage holes.
10. When blooming begins, place the containers in bright, indirect sunlight, farther from direct light.
Tweezers are used to pick up the tiniest of seeds with ease. Sanitize them with an alcohol swab, rinse, and dry before use.
Water
Germination begins when a seed becomes moist, and must stay moist throughout its growth process.
You can mist the soil with a spray bottle, or you can make a mat watering system.
How to Make a Mat Watering System
A mat watering system is one of the best ways to ensure that your plants never go dry. Here’s how to make one:
Line an old one- or two-inch tall baking pan with newspaper that has been cut to fit. Use enough sheets to fill the pan to the top.
Dampen the newspaper with water to the point of saturation.
Place your planted egg cartons on top of the wet newspaper. They will absorb water as needed.
Remember to mist or saturate the newspaper daily.
Congrats! You’re really doing this. You’ve got your supplies, and you know how to make a mat watering system.
That’s two thumbs up! Now let’s get into the seed packets.
Prepare Your Seeds
Seeds come in a range of shapes and sizes.
Some, like lobelia, are so small and light, you don’t dare sneeze while you’re trying to separate them under a magnifying glass.
Others are many times larger, like those of the lima bean.
Many are ready to sow right out of the packet.
As we noted above, others need to be chilled, soaked, or scarified before planting to replicate what would have happened to them in nature, had they not been harvested for sale.
When a plant scatters seeds, they tumble about in all kinds of weather, roughing up their outer coatings, and preparing to take in air, water, and nutrients when they sprout in the spring.
Gardeners must do what Mother Nature would have done, to enable the seeds to open and grow.
Be sure to read packets thoroughly, and don’t skip chilling, soaking, or scarifying, if required.
And now it’s time to sow!
How to Start Seeds Indoors
With all of your supplies assembled, you’re ready to go.
Here’s what to do:
1. Drainage
Poke several drainage holes in the bottom of each cell of your egg cartons.
2. Fill Cells
Fill each cell three-quarters full of potting medium.
Place a toothpick in the center of each cell.
3. Prepare Mat System
If you are making a mat watering system, stack sheets of newspaper in your baking pans and thoroughly dampen the newspaper.
Place your egg cartons on top. One baking sheet may be able to hold multiple egg cartons.
If you have purchased a capillary mat product, prepare it per manufacturer’s directions.
If you’re going to skip the mat system and use a water bottle mister, simply place your egg cartons on top of baking pans that will serve as drip pans.
4. Sow Seeds
Sow one variety per baking pan so watering requirements will be the same for all. Use your tape and marker to label each tray’s contents.
Sow as follows:
For tiny seeds, mist the soil lightly. Use a magnifying glass, and tweezers if necessary, to place two or three in each cell. Do not cover with soil.
For seeds large enough to measure with a standard ruler, plant at a depth equal to the size of the seed, and cover lightly with soil.
Planting too deeply may deprive them of oxygen, and they will not germinate.
5. Make a Greenhouse
Start by cutting a piece of plastic wrap the length of each baking pan. Cut two to cover wide baking pans, and overlap them.
Use a pin to poke about 10 tiny holes in the plastic at random.
Lay the plastic wrap gently on top of the toothpicks to form a greenhouse. Tuck the ends and sides of the plastic firmly underneath each baking pan, taping as needed.
Place it in a bright location out of direct sunlight.
6. Record and Observe
Save your seed packets and start a gardening journal. Note the planting date, and approximately how many days until maturity per package instructions.
As plants grow, write down when they bud, bloom, and bear fruit.
7. Monitor Moisture
If you are using the mat watering system, keep the newspaper saturated.
If you’re using a spray bottle to mist, make sure to keep the soil moist by misting it regularly.
8. Acclimate Sprouts
After they germinate, or sprout, lift the edges of the plastic wrap – but do not remove it for two days.
Allow time for acclimation to the cooler air outside the mini-greenhouse.
9. Move into the Sun
After two days, remove the plastic wrap completely.
Place the baking pans in direct sunlight, away from drafty places like exit doors.
10. Rearrange and Fertilize
Turn the baking pans periodically to prevent sprouts from leaning toward the light.
After germination, cotyledons or seed leaves will soon appear. Above these, the first true leaves will follow.
If your potting medium does not already contain fertilizer, now is the time to apply a liquid plant food like Miracle-Gro Quick Start, available via Amazon, per manufacturer’s instructions.
Thinning
It’s best to sow more seeds than you really want because it’s rare that all of them will thrive.
A few may simply fail to germinate, never sprouting at all.
Expect a mature height and width of four to six feet.
Growth is upward and arching, for naturalistic, informal privacy hedges, stand-alone specimens, or mixed shrub groupings.
8. Lynwood Gold
F. x intermedia ‘Lynwood Gold’ reaches heights of six to eight feet with a spread of eight to 10 feet, and has an upward, branching growth habit.
You can create privacy around a property perimeter, or plant as an imposing stand-alone specimen that welcomes spring with voluminous quantities of bold blossoms.
F. x ‘Meadowlark’ is one of the most cold-hardy late winter to early spring choices. It’s a hybrid cross between F. ovata and F. europaea, and is hardy as far north as Zone 3.
It is densely branched and reaches impressive heights of eight to 10 feet with an equal spread.
F. x intermedia ‘Northern Gold’ is a cold-hardy champion bred specifically for northern climates.
This Canadian-bred cultivar has flower buds that can survive temperatures down to -30°F, making it reliable in Zones 3 through 8.
It reaches a manageable six to eight feet in height with an equal spread. The growth habit is upright and arching, creating an attractive rounded form.
The bright golden-yellow flowers are particularly abundant and reliable, even following harsh cold snaps that would damage less hardy varieties.
This is an excellent choice for gardeners in cold climates who want a classic forsythia without worrying about bud damage.
Use it as a specimen plant, in mixed shrub borders, or plant several for an informal hedge. Foliage turns attractive shades of yellow and purple in fall.
Known as “semi-compact,” F. x intermedia ‘Sunrise’ is a late winter to early spring selection with upright branches and a mounding growth habit. This cultivar is hardy to Zone 4.
Although I tend to favor native plants, I like non-native forsythia because it’s a part of my family’s gardening culture.
As a matter of fact, it’s so prevalent in my region that at one time I thought it was native to Pennsylvania.
For me, the first sighting of yellow brings a sense of giddy anticipation of the gardening season to come, and a welcome sense of having weathered another winter.
I also like forsythia because it is so user friendly. Simply snip a stem and push it into the soil, or bend a branch to the ground and cover it with a rock, and nine times out of ten, roots will sprout.
Artist Tim Yanke’s artwork for the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. was unveiled in Georgetown on Thursday night.
For months, artist Tim Yanke grappled with how to make his work stand out.
After learning he had been selected to create the official artwork for the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C., he wanted to make something that would be untraditional. It couldn’t just be a painting with a cherry tree and the Washington Monument, he thought.
It took eight months to plan and execute, but Yanke’s vision was unveiled Thursday in Georgetown.
While it does feature cherry blossoms and the Washington Monument, the final piece also includes butterflies to represent the 13 colonies and hidden lyrics from songs such as “God Bless America,” which inspired Yanke to feature the words “from sea to shining sea.”
Artwork done by Tim Yanke was selected for the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. The piece features cherry blossoms, the National Monument, hidden lyrics and 13 butterflies. (WTOP/Scott Gelman)
Yanke said the butterflies serve as “an important symbolism, especially in Native American life. It’s everlasting life, renewal, self-transformation and kindness.”
He hopes viewers see unity, happiness and peace in the artwork.
‘The spirit of DC’
During an event at Sequoia, city leaders and event organizers gathered to reveal plans for next year’s festival.
“It celebrates beauty and spring, but even more than that, it celebrates the spirit of D.C.,” Kimberly Bassett, who serves as D.C. secretary, said of the weekslong festival. “It’s a living reminder of the friendship between Japan and the United States.”
That relationship, Bassett said, started with a gift of 3,000 cherry trees. And, to honor America’s 250th birthday, Japan is gifting 250 new cherry blossom trees.
“To mark this historic milestone, these new trees will stand alongside the original cherry trees as a symbol of peace, respect and renewal,” Bassett said.
Next year’s festival, which is scheduled to run from March 20 to April 12, will start with an opening ceremony at DAR Constitution Hall — the first time the venue will host the event.
Diana Mayhew, the festival’s president and CEO, said it will “nearly double the number of attendees that we’ll be able to accommodate, to see a once-in-a-lifetime show with these world-class Japanese performers.”
Many of the festival’s popular events are returning next year, Mayhew said.
“It’s a sense of happiness, joy, renewal, no matter what’s happening in this world,” Mayhew told WTOP. “The festival comes and people are happy and joyous.”
Festival visitors drive more than $200 million in economy activity for D.C., Bassett said.
The 2026 festival celebrates the 114th anniversary of the gift of 3,000 Japanese cherry trees that are planted around the Tidal Basin in D.C.
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There are many reasons to visit South Africa, but for anyone whose heart beats faster for flowers, there is this hint: Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and book a trip any time from late August through September, when the summer-dry expanses of the West Coast region and its hinterland erupt in spring’s wildflowers after soaking winter rains.
Because of the staggering diversity of floral displays spread across the country’s Western and Northern Cape provinces, the choices of destinations can be overwhelming. The tiny town of Darling in the Western Cape, just an hour’s drive north of Cape Town, is at once accessible, hospitable, and bursting with a variety botanical hotspots. Waylands Wildflower Reserve is just one of them.
Above: Wild arum lilies—Zantedeschia aethiopica— at Waylands Wildflower Reserve, near Darling.
Waylands Wildflower Reserve, about three miles southeast of Darling, is one of several local reserves open to visitors during peak wildflower season. Last September I visited with my evolutionary-biologist friend, Jacqueline Bishop, who loves flowers as much as I do, but who knows more about them as well as the creatures with which they co-exist. (It’s like walking with Google, except more fun.) Our destination that day was the town itself, and the Darling Wildflower Show, held annually over the third weekend of September. But at Waylands we became side-tracked, in the best possible way.
Above: A flock of Lachenalias. Above: Heliophila africana tilting on slender stems. Above: Shaggy monkey beetles are important pollinators of spring’s ephemeral wildflowers. Above: Geissorhiza radians.
Created in 1922 by Frederick Duckitt, Waylands is one of the oldest wildflower reserves in South Africa. This pocket of critically endangered Renosterveld remains on land farmed by the Duckitt family since 1865. (Closer to town vast greenhouses accommodate their orchid business, which exports exotic orchids globally. It is open to the public during this weekend, and we were sustained there by some very good pannekoek, crêpe-like pancakes filled with cinnamon and sugar and served with lemon.)
Above: Common butterfly lily—Wachendorfia paniculata—thrives after fire.
Over 300 species of wildflowers have been recorded at Waylands, whose farming methods help conserve one of the most threatened habitats in the Cape Floristic Region (which is smallest of the world’s six plant kingdoms, but the mightiest in terms of diversity). Grassfed cattle and sheep are allowed to graze here after the flowers have set seed, from November—early summer—to the end of April before the wet, Mediterranean winter sets in. This ancient seasonal grazing strategy, predating colonial history, allows these hoofed animals to actively spread seed, and to turn bulbs. And every four to seven years, intentional fires are set in autumn, ahead of rain, to help regenerate plants that thrive after fire.
There are many reasons to visit South Africa, but for anyone whose heart beats faster for flowers, there is this hint: Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and book a trip any time from August through September, when the summer-dry expanses of the West Coast region and its hinterland erupt in spring’s wildflowers after soaking winter rains.
Because of the staggering diversity of floral displays spread across the country’s Western and Northern Cape provinces, the choices of destinations can be overwhelming. The tiny town of Darling in the Western Cape, just an hour’s drive north of Cape Town, is at once accessible, hospitable, and bursting with a variety botanical hotspots. Waylands Wildflower Reserve is just one of them.
Above: Wild arum lilies—Zantedeschia aethiopica— at Waylands Wildflower Reserve, near Darling.
Waylands Wildflower Reserve, about three miles southeast of Darling, is one of several local reserves open to visitors during peak wildflower season. Last September I visited with my evolutionary-biologist friend, Jacqueline Bishop, who loves flowers as much as I do, but who knows more about them as well as the creatures with which they co-exist. (It’s like walking with Google, except more fun.) Our destination that day was the town itself, and the Darling Wildflower Show, held annually over the third weekend of September. But at Waylands we became side-tracked, in the best possible way.
Above: A flock of Lachenalias. Above: Heliophila africana tilting on slender stems. Above: Shaggy monkey beetles are important pollinators of spring’s ephemeral wildflowers. Above: Geissorhiza radians.
Created in 1922 by Frederick Duckitt, Waylands is one of the oldest wildflower reserves in South Africa. This pocket of critically endangered Renosterveld remains on land farmed by the Duckitt family since 1865. (Closer to town vast greenhouses accommodate their orchid business, which exports exotic orchids to Europe and the East Coast of the US. It is open to the public during this weekend, and we were sustained there by some very good pancakes, filled with cinnamon and sugar and served with lemon.)
Above: Common butterfly lily—Wachendorfia paniculata—thrives after fire.
Over 300 species of wildflowers have been recorded at Waylands, whose farming methods help conserve one of the most threatened habitats in the Cape Floristic Region (which is smallest of the world’s six plant kingdoms, but the mightiest in terms of diversity). Grassfed cattle and sheep are allowed to graze here after the flowers have set seed, from November—early summer—to the end of April before the wet, Mediterranean winter sets in. This ancient seasonal grazing strategy, predating colonial history, allows these hoofed animals to actively spread seed, and to turn bulbs. And every four to seven years, intentional fires are set in autumn, ahead of rain, to help regenerate plants that thrive after fire.
Gardeners, rejoice! If you’re ready for spring, start the season early by forcing bulbs to grow indoors. Not only will you get to bring some beauty into your home, but you’ll be a step ahead when it comes to your spring garden, too. Here’s everything you need to know about growing bulbs indoors.
Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
Do you ever find yourself wishing that spring could come earlier? Well, my friend, you can bring a bit of spring indoors this fall and winter with blooming spring bulbs! With a few simple techniques, you can force bulbs to grow early and create a spring garden right in your own home well before they are ready to flower outdoors.
You can make gorgeous, varied arrangements to display on your dining table or other surfaces, and you’ll be feeling sunnier in no time. Grab some bulbs and get ready to welcome spring!
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Bulbs can make for wonderful gifts, alongside growing instructions.
Sponsored Content: This article on forcing spring bulbs is proudly sponsored by Flowerbulb.eu (who also provided some of the gorgeous photos in this post). We partnered on this article to help remind you that fall is the best time of year to buy spring bulbs. There are a ton of great bulbs available at online retailers and in garden centres, so you certainly will have plenty of options in your area. Get your bulbs now so you can chill them in time for an early spring indoors when you need the cheery blooms the most!
Forcing Bulbs for Spring
I’m rather lucky living in the Pacific Northwest, where spring arrives earlier for me compared to other northern counterparts. Oftentimes, I am posting my spring bulbs on social media, and my friends are commenting that they’re still deep in snow!
Snow in May and June is a reality for some, making the true gardening season a few short months. However, you can still enjoy the wonders of spring even if it doesn’t feel like the season outdoors. Forcing spring bulbs is my favourite way to add some much-needed colour inside while you sit and wait to garden outside.
Tulipa Bright Sight, Orange Princess, Queensland, and Varinas, courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
The Best Bulbs to Grow Indoors
While you could theoretically use most bulbs indoors, some will be more challenging than others. For successful and easy flowers, it’s important to pick bulbs that take well to forcing. These ones are easy to force indoors and produce gorgeous spring flowers that will brighten up your home.
I also like to grow bulbs indoors that aren’t hardy in my area. Some bulbs will only be hardy in warmer zones and won’t naturalize for the following year. Growing bulbs indoors allows you to still experience these more tender bulbs, even if you live in a colder area.
Grow some specialty varieties to really make your flowers shine indoors. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
Choose Your Container
Bulbs can be forced in a wide variety of containers, so pick something decorative that will complement the flowers that you’ve chosen. Shallow dishes and pots make good containers for many bulbs, as do simple Mason jars.
You can find containers specifically made for bulb forcing, too—they have a wide dish at the top that narrows before widening out below again into a vase shape, so that the bulb will sit in the top above the water in the vase part.
You can easily use some of your outdoor pots for your indoor bulbs. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
Prepare Your Bulbs
Forcing bulbs and other plants is a way of tricking them into thinking it’s time to flower earlier than they naturally would. In order to do this, you have to put the bulbs through a false “winter.”
Spring bulbs naturally go through a period of dormancy over winter, and in the spring, when the soil is warmed enough by the sun, the bulb knows that it is time to come up and bloom. What we’re doing is recreating this effect indoors and on our own time, so that we can have beautiful spring flowers blooming early.
To do this, you need to mimic the bulb’s natural life cycle by chilling it at 35-45 degrees Fahrenheit (or 2-7 degrees Celsius) for about 8-15 weeks. This creates an artificial winter.
You can chill bulbs in a cool, dark spot like a root cellar or unheated garage.
You can also put the bulbs in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator as long as you give them their own drawer away from fruits and vegetables that release ethylene gas.
If you don’t have the time to do this, you can buy bulbs that have already been chilled for you.
Muscari flowers.
Planting Bulbs Indoors
Once the bulbs have gone through their cold period, you can plant them indoors, and the transition from cold to warm will signal to them that it is time to grow and bloom.
If you are using a Mason jar or other deep vessel, fill the container up with small pebbles or marbles. Nestle the bulb into the pebbles or marbles with the pointy end facing up. About half of the bulb should be buried while the top half remains exposed. Add enough water to the container so that the bottom quarter of the bulb is submerged, but the rest of the bulb is above the water.
Make sure not to fully submerge the bulb in water so it doesn’t rot.
If you are using a shallow dish or pot, add a few pebbles to the bottom for drainage and add potting soil to the container. Plant the bulbs in the soil (again, pointy sides up) and add a little more soil on top so that they are just covered. Water thoroughly. Check the soil often and keep it moist with frequent watering.
Keep your soil moist, but make sure it’s not soggy. Drainage is important!
Sometimes you don’t even need soil to grow your bulbs. All you need is a bulb, water, and the right vase. A forcing vase is one that has a narrow top and a wide bottom. This allows the bulb to be only partly submerged in water.
If you have a forcing vase, simply fill the bottom part with water and rest the bulb inside the wide dish at the top. If you haven’t chilled your bulbs yet, place your vase in a dark, cool place and wait. After a few weeks, the roots will grow down into the water. When the flower begins to appear, bring it out for display. If your vase is clear, you even get to watch the roots grow in addition to seeing the beautiful flower bloom.
Hyacinths smell wonderful, making them a true treat indoors. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
Decorate!
Growing bulbs indoors is all about bringing some colour and beauty to your home. Beyond the flower variety and colour, you can add a lot of elements to stylize your indoor bulb.
Give your arrangements a little something extra by adding reindeer moss, polished pebbles, or flat glass marbles around the base of the plants, and consider including some delicate deciduous branches for added structure. If you are forcing your bulbs in soil and not just water, you can plant a few pretty annuals, such as violas or primulas, in the same container for some variety.
You can also play around to make your bulbs and container match the season. Opt for pastel hues and cheery containers to create an Easter themed piece. As long as you time it right, you can have bulbs indoors year-round.
Force bulbs indoors any time of year. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
Plant Again
After the bulbs have finished flowering and you have enjoyed your indoor display to the fullest, you can plant the bulbs out in the garden and watch them flower again for years to come. If they are hardy in your zone, you can plant them in the ground and wait for them to sping up next winter. Alternatively, you can also store them to grow them indoors again.
To do this, remove old flowers and leaves as they slowly fade away. Once the plant is finished flowering and the foliage has turned yellow, cut the stems to two inches above the bulb. Remove the bulb from the soil and gently clean off any dirt. Store in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use it again next winter.
Tulipa Dynasty and Hyacinthus China Pink, courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu
More Spring Flower Fun!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
As the first herald of spring, crocus flowers provide a pop of colour and joy just when we think winter will go on forever. The sleepy bees flock to them as spring food, as the crocus soak in the crisp sunlight. Crocuses are super simple to grow and care for, and the time to plant them is NOW!
Crocuses are beloved by many simply because they’re the first spring flower to emerge, even in the coldest of climates. They’re pure joy!
Crocus flowers grow from bulb-like corms, producing flowers for years on end. They multiply on their own, creating waves of small purple and yellow flowers throughout lawns and garden beds.
I’ve planted crocus corms many times, most recently as a sidewalk project at my previous rental house and in my lawn bulb mixture at my current house. The work of planting in the fall is well worth it come springtime!
Here’s what you need to know about crocus flowers, including when, where, and how to plant them, as well as care and naturalizing tips.
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Crocus flowers enjoy full sunlight conditions.
Autumn vs. Spring Crocus
Everyone loves the spring crocus, as the first flower to emerge after a cold winter. We cherish the small blooms and know that soon, more flowers will begin to awake.
But did you know there are also autumn crocus? While also a showstopper and beautiful flower, they don’t get nearly as much praise simply because they bloom in the fall when we aren’t lacking other flowers.
While both spring and autumn crocus are called crocus, they’re actually not related! Let me introduce you to both.
Crocus flowers and snowdrops are some of the first blooms of spring.
Autumn Crocus
As the name would suggest, autumn crocus bloom in early fall as opposed to spring. Autumn crocus refers to a variety of hybrids in the Colchicum genus, which belongs to the lily family. The Colchicum autumnale is the most common autumn crocus, which boasts light pink-purple and sometimes white flowers.
They’ve earned the nickname of ‘naked ladies’ since they bloom with no leaves, producing 1 to 10 flower stalks per corm. The leaves grow in the spring and go dormant in the early summer, but must be left alone to help fuel the corms for their fall bloom.
The corms should be planted by mid-summer to ensure a fall bloom, though they naturalize and will return year after year. The weird timing of planting these corms means they’re often forgotten about.
Autumn crocuses are hardy to zones 5-9. The corms are toxic to humans and animals.
Saffron Crocus
Another species is the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, which is also called the autumn crocusby some. Of course, this is the flower that produces the highly prized saffron spice. It is also a fall-flowering plant.
Spring Crocus
The spring crocus is what most people are familiar with, and the one that people cherish the most when temperatures are still too cool for other flowers. They can bloom from January to April, depending on how harsh your winter is.
The spring crocus belongs to the iris family, with over 80 crocus species in Crocus spp. They bloom in many colours, including purple, yellow, orange, pink, white, and even blue. However, purple and yellow are the most common ones I see.
They also grow from a corm and naturalize in the garden. Spring crocuses are hardy from zones 3-8.
The remainder of this guide will focus on spring crocus, since that’s what most people are interested in growing. But it’s important that you know there is an autumn crocus, so you don’t get them mixed up.
Buy a mixed pack to get a variety of colours and patterns.
Planting Spring Crocus
Since crocuses are smaller flowers, they look best planted en masse. Think 100-150 corms minimum! Larger corms produce more flowers, so keep this in mind when purchasing crocus corms.
While you can plant crocus from seed, it can be difficult and take years for the plant to produce flowers. So almost everyone buys and plants the corms.
Spring crocus should be planted in early fall, ideally eight weeks before the first frost.
Crocuses need well-drained soil so the corm doesn’t rot. Choose a location that receives full sun. Avoid planting in shade, though they can tolerate partial shade if necessary.
But since crocuses are early bloomers, larger trees and shrubs haven’t leafed out yet to block sunlight, making areas that are typically shaded still a great location option.
Plant crocus corms with the pointy end up. They should be planted four inches deep to the top of the corm, approximately two inches apart. Plant them in clusters, grabbing a handful at a time.
Water after planting if there is no natural moisture. Snow cover is usually good and all you need. You want to avoid overwatering, so you don’t rot the corm
Pro tip: Try layering crocus with other bulbs, including hyacinth, tulips, and daffodils. Since they don’t have lots of foliage and flower early on, they’re done by the time the other bulbs are ready. Plant the corms according to the depth specified on the packaging, with the crocus on top.
Crocus corms should be planted with the pointy tip facing upward.
Caring for Crocus Flowers
Crocus need very little care once they have been planted. Ideally, you just need to leave them alone!
Crocus require 12-15 weeks of cold temperatures, so they need to grow in cold places.
Do not cut the flowers for six weeks after the flowering period. Ideally, the foliage should be fully yellow before you remove it, as the foliage will charge the corm for next year.
Once cut, leave the corms alone. They prefer dry soil in the summer. They may need water if it’s been a very dry winter and there’s no snow cover, but they’re usually okay without any supplemental watering.
Fertilizer is usually not necessary. I add layers of compost and leaf mulch to all my garden beds, and that’s all my perennial plants typically need.
Crocus flowers will only open when there is sun. They will close at night and in rainy weather.
Naturalizing Crocus in Lawns
Crocus flowers are one of the best “bulbs” to use for naturalizing, especially in lawns. This means they will naturally propagate and spread themselves. As the plant gets older, it will produce offshoots around the main corm. Baby corms will grow in clusters around the main corm.
If going for a naturalized lawn look, you’ll want to scatter them by grabbing handfuls and planting them where they fall. To really get an amazing display in the spring, you’ll want 125-150 corms for every square meter.
After 3-5 years, flowering may decrease. This means your crocuses have crowded themselves out. You may need to gently dig them up with a spade and separate the baby corms from the main corm. Move the baby corms, spreading them out. Divide crocus right after they’ve finished flowering, so you know where the corms are.
A lawn full of naturalized crocus flowers. Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu.
FAQ About Crocus Flowers
How do I stop squirrels from digging up my crocus corms?
Small mammals like squirrels, rabbits, mice, and gophers like to munch on crocus corms, especially after planting. They’re drawn to the freshly dug soil, so adding some mulch or leaves on top can help to hide it. You can also protect newly planted corms by covering them with hardware cloth (works better than chicken wire).
My philosophy? Squirrels are going to eat some of the corms, and that’s okay. I plant knowing that not all of them are going to make it.
When do crocuses bloom?
Spring crocus bloom in late winter and early spring, anywhere from January to April, depending on how harsh your winter is. Autumnal crocus flowers in early fall, including the saffron crocus.
When to plant crocuses?
Spring-blooming crocus should be planted in early fall, ideally 8 weeks before the first frost. For autumn crocus, you want to plant them by mid-summer for fall blooms.
Purple crocus and seedum. Can you spot the bee?
More Tips for Planting Fall Bulbs
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
With rounded, slightly flattened heads, ‘Bermeo’ is heat-tolerant cauliflower hybrid that produces five- to seven-inch white, uniform heads in just 68 days.
The crisp, dense curds are slightly sweet with a nutty flavor. The inner leaves are tight, reducing the need for manual tying for blanching.
The vigorous plants grow up to 14 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
If you want to add some color to your cooking, you can find seeds available at Burpee.
5. Depurple
Purple florets on white stems characterize the unique ‘Depurple’ hybrid cauliflower. It matures in approximately 80 to 100 days, and is well worth the wait.
Dense, six- to seven-inch heads contain antioxidant anthocyanins, with flavorful hints of butter and nuts.
Some purple types turn green during cooking, but you may try adding vinegar or lemon juice to help retain the color.
For a robust and fast-growing cauliflower, consider ‘Early White.’ This hybrid may mature in as few as 52 days, and produces tight, pure white heads that measure up to nine inches across.
This variety exhibits more cold tolerance than average, and may reach 30 inches in height. Firmness and a classic mild cauliflower flavor characterize this winner.
Here’s an early type that matures in 33 to 60 days, making ‘Fioretto 60’ a good choice for spring.
This is a “sprouting” cauliflower variety, with five- to six-inch heads made up of loose white florets on long, light green stems. It resembles broccoli rabe.
‘Flamenco’ is a cauliflower hybrid that produces bright white, six- to seven-inch heads with a very mild, sweet flavor in about 72 days.
The curds are dense, held in rounded, dome-shaped heads. With outstanding heat tolerance, ‘Flamenco’ is ideal for growing in the south, where the heat can cause problems.
Paler than cheddar types, ‘Flame Star’ is an early orange hybrid that matures in approximately 55 to 60 days.
Its heads are firm, with dense, smooth curds and a diameter of about seven inches. This type exhibits better than average heat tolerance and reaches a height of about 14 inches.
Hybrid ‘Skywalker’ is cold-tolerant and produces six- to seven-inch white heads with dense curds after 75 days.
This cultivar is partially self-blanching but can benefit from having the leaves tied to ensure the pure white color. The plant grows 12 to 18 inches tall and wide.
This heirloom white cauliflower harks back to the “originals” in Europe.
‘Snowball’ is a self-blanching cultivar that matures in 65 to 75 days. Its leaves protect developing heads that range from approximately six to eight inches across.
‘Tessaury’ is a heat-tolerant cauliflower hybrid that produces creamy white, dense heads after 72 days. The dense florets form six- to seven-inch uniformly round heads.
The flavor is mild, nutty, and sweet, perfect for roasting or eating fresh.
The ‘Veronica’ Romanesco looks like a cross between cauliflower and broccoli, that matures in about 85 days.
Heads measure approximately seven inches across, and consist of unusually pointy and visually interesting lime green whorls of curds that develop in a fractal pattern.
Plants reach a height of 18 to 24 inches.
Sometimes called “broccoflower,” this unique vegetable has a mildly sweet, savory/nutty flavor.
If you’re looking for a fast-growing traditional white cauliflower for a container or small plot, this one’s for you. ‘White Corona’ is a hybrid that matures in 30 to 33 days.
Its bright white heads measure three to five inches across at maturity.
A slender-necked, purple flower, C. tommasinianus ‘Barr’s Purple’ crocus opens into a pleasing bowl shape, as though it’s welcoming a pool of sunshine to fill its petals.
This deer-resistant bloom grows best in Zones 4 to 8, flowers in late February and early March, and reaches a height of four to six inches.
3. Blue Pearl
As its name suggests, C. chrysanthus ‘Blue Pearl’ crocus variety features light pearly-blue petals and is downright lovely.
For those who prefer a softer color instead of something bold and bright, ‘Blue Pearl’ is the answer.
How neat would it be to see these demure flowers bloom every March or April? Combine with a white or yellow-flowering variety for an extra burst of color.
These corms, which grow best in USDA Zones 3 to 8, were hybridized in Holland over fifty years ago.
They’re smaller than true Dutch crocus varieties and bloom earlier, but pairing the two types of bulbs together gives your garden a radiant, natural look.
A cultivar of C. sieberi, ‘Firefly’ features pale violet flowers with golden throats.
Even better? They’re deer resistant, so planting them with a non-deer-resistant variety means protection for all your precious corms.
For a field of sweet ‘Firefly’ blooms, plant groups of nine or ten corms every square foot. Create patches of crocuses like this all over your lawn for a natural, meadow-like look.
5. Flower Record
For deep purple blooms that could probably be seen from space, try C. vernus ‘Flower Record,’ with its delicate rounded petals and vibrant color.
This Dutch variety grows large blooms and flowers in March and April, depending on the climate.
‘Flower Record’ grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9 and reaches heights of four to six inches, making it a perfect spring flower for almost anyone.
Bags of 15 bulbs are available from Burpee and ship during the late summer and early fall.
6. Grand Maitre
C. vernus ‘Grand Maitre’ is an heirloom Dutch cultivar has been winning hearts since the 1920s with its large, goblet-shaped blooms in a soft lavender-blue shade.
The petals often have a silvery glow at the edges, surrounding vibrant golden-orange anthers that pop like sunrise through spring snow.
It’s one of the earliest crocuses to bloom, often pushing up through frozen soil or late snowdrifts in February or March, depending on your Zone.
At about four to six inches tall, it’s a perfect choice for naturalizing in lawns, lining borders, or tucking into rock gardens.
Courageous as its namesake, C. vernus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is snow-white and extra hardy, thriving in Zones 3 to 9.
Plant this Dutch variety by herself for a stunning field of pale blooms, or combine with ‘Pickwick,’ described below, for a pleasing color combination.
This bloom reaches four to six inches in height and bags of 15 bulbs are available at Burpee.
8. Orange Monarch
Do you dream of seeing a kaleidoscope of monarch butterflies alighting on pink tufts of milkweed? C. chrysanthus ‘Orange Monarch’ may be as close as you’ll get.
And in your own garden, too!
These vibrant blooms thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7, so they’re perfect for those of us who live in chillier states.
But like all crocuses, they adore the sun, so make sure to plant them in a bright location. Plant in groups of 20 to 50 corms for a spectacular spring show.
With sturdy blooms and a name reminiscent of the March sisters’ plucky Pickwick Club in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, C. vernus ‘Pickwick’ features lavender petals with delicate purple stripes running vertically up each bloom.
Plant in the fall in Zones 3 to 9 for a gorgeous spring lawn. These blooms reach up to six inches tall.
These would look lovely in my backyard and remind me of my literary heroines as well.
Since they’re not deer-resistant, I’ll have to plant them alongside ‘Barr’s Purple’ or ‘Firefly’ to keep my resident moose away!
Find bags of 15 bulbs that ship in the fall from Burpee.
10. Saffron Crocus
Do you enjoy using the spice, saffron, in everything from cakes to curries? Then you’ll love this bright purple, fall-blooming saffron crocus (C. sativus).
Preferring USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9, this variety grows long red stigmas that you can harvest and lay out to dry in a warm room.
There aren’t different cultivars available for the home gardener of this species like there are of, say, C. crysanthus.
This is because the plant is mainly grown commercially as a spice, and because C. sativus is an entirely hybridized plant.
That said, each country that grows saffron commercially has its own cultivar: ‘Aquila’ in Italy, ‘Creme’ in Spain, and ‘Lacha’ in Kashmir.
Once planted, these spicy beauties flower in just six to eight weeks. And voila, as well as enjoying the vibrant colors, you’ve grown your own saffron!
11. Striped Bird
C. tommasinianus ‘Striped Bird’ is a compact, early-flowering snow crocus with pale lavender petals marked by dark violet striping and a soft white base.
This cultivar blooms in late winter to early spring, often emerging through snow. Flowers reach three to six inches tall and are among the first nectar sources for pollinators.
C. vernus ‘Yellow Mammoth’ crocuses will make your backyard look like a pool of sunshine – just when you need it the most.
Even better, this variety is deer resistant, so you don’t have to worry about backyard creatures munching on your sunshine before you can enjoy it yourself.
In Zones 3 to 9, plant these bulbs in the fall for an early-spring display.
They love sunlight or part-shade, so make sure to plant them in an open area or at the edge of a knot of trees for a wild, natural look.
Growing four to six inches tall, ‘Yellow Mammoth’ is one of the larger varieties. Plant with hellebores for a truly stunning spring display.
You can buy a package of 15 bulbs that ship in the fall, from Burpee.
Mixed Cultivars
If, like me, you can’t decide which of the varieties described above will make it into your garden this year, why not try a mix?
Here are three of my favorites that you can add to your landscape for a delightful array of colors, come springtime.
1. Blue Moon Mix
Another Dutch crocus mix (C. Vernus), this white, light purple, and darker purple large-flowering blend of bulbs makes it easy to mix up the colors in your garden.
With deep purple, pale blue, light violet, and bright yellow snow crocus blooms all combined, you’re sure to feel jubilant when these pop out in your spring garden.
Grow them in Zones 3 to 8 and expect them to reach heights of four to six inches tall.
The florets are a striking deep purple with pale green stems, adding both color and flavor to the harvest. Tender and mild, they’re excellent fresh in salads or lightly cooked.
This variety matures in about 65 days and is renowned for its prolific sprouting side shoots following the first harvest.
‘Calabrese’ seeds are available from Eden Brothers in packages of 500 seeds, one ounce, quarter-pound, or one pound.
5. Covina
‘Covina’ is a hybrid heading broccoli that matures in about 75 days.
Plants reach 24 to 30 inches tall and produce compact, tightly domed heads six to eight inches across.
It performs reliably in variable weather, tolerating both heat and cool spells, and carries resistance to Fusarium yellows with intermediate resistance to black rot and white rust.
‘Destiny’ is a hybrid that has been bred for exceptional heat tolerance in Zones 7 to 11. It produces small to medium green heads tinged with purple in 70 to 75 days.
This hybrid was tailored for the colder northeastern regions of the US and Canada, and does well in both the spring and the fall. It produces very large blue-green crowns with superb flavor.
‘Eastern Magic’ also remarkably heat tolerant, allowing those in the colder regions to extend their growing season into the summer. It’s a fast grower that matures in 60 to 65 days.
‘Fiesta’ is a reliable hybrid heading broccoli that matures in about 65 to 75 days.
Plants are compact and produce uniformly tight, dome-shaped heads approximately six to seven inches across.
This cultivar performs well in both warm days and cool nights, making it adaptable for spring and fall growing, while offering good resistance to Fusarium yellows, black rot, and white rust.
A vigorous sprouting type, ‘Montebello’ is a hybrid between broccoli and Chinese sprouting that reaches about 28 to 30 inches tall with a 20 to 24 inch spread.
Reaching maturity in roughly 75 to 80 days from transplant, this cultivar produces a modest central floret cluster followed by lots of tender side shoots for prolonged harvest.
This is a very cold-hardy heirloom that produces multiple small, purplish florets on each plant instead of a single large head.
Purple sprouting is suitable for Zones 2 to 11. In areas without particularly steamy summers or harsh winters, you may be able to plant in early spring, midsummer, and early fall, for three successive harvest periods.
Its ability to “winter over” and come up in early spring is a noteworthy feature.
You may serve the florets with leaves and stems attached, as all are quite tender. Also, don’t be surprised when the purple turns to green during cooking!
‘Purplelicious’ produces a bounty of sweet, colorful side shoots, extending the harvest. The stems are versatile and flavorful, ideal for steaming, roasted, or fresh in colorful salads.
After the main head is cut, the plant continues to produce side shoots, extending the harvest. The dense, uniform heads are well suited for steaming, roasting, or freezing.
This ancient Italian heirloom boasts unique chartreuse pointed spiral florets. Grow it in Zones 3 to 10, but beware – it bolts at the slightest hint of high temps.
Start seeds indoors and get them into the ground ASAP in early spring, or sow in late fall, but avoid midsummer heat.
Each plant offers two to three harvests over about a month, making it ideal for fresh snacking, salads, or quick sautés.
You can find packets of 50 seeds or bundles of six plants available at Burpee.
17. Santee
‘Santee’ is a purple-sprouting broccoli hybrid that matures in about 80 to 100 days.
It grows approximately 16 to 20 inches tall and forms clusters of purple florets on sturdy green stems.
After the central buds are cut, the plant continues producing side shoots over several weeks, making it ideal for late-fall or overwinter harvests in mild climates.
Known for its delicious flavor, ‘Sun King’ will produce blue-green heads of six to eight inches in diameter, with plenty of side shoots. These will reach maturity in about 70 days.
This heirloom, which was enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson, is noted for its cold tolerance, large blue-green main heads, and proliferation of side shoots.
Perfect for Zones 3 to 10, it matures in a non-uniform fashion for continual harvesting throughout the growing season. Allow 85 days to reach maturity.
Harvest stems with leaves and budded florets in 40 to 60 days, or when they reach about six inches in height. You will be able to enjoy multiple yields throughout the growing season.
Heirloom Chinese broccoli (B. oleracea var. alboglabra) is also called gai-lan, jie lan, or kai-lan/kailaan.
It, too, is leaf dominant, and boasts shades of glossy blue-green to dark green. Stems are thick, florets are small, and the taste is on the bitter side.
Broccolini (B. oleracea aspabroc hybrid) comes to us from Japan.
Though it’s sometimes confused for baby broccoli, it is actually a cross between B. oleracea var. italica and gai-lan (B. oleracea var. alboglabra) that makes for a sweet, thin-stemmed, dark leafy green with small florets.
The name “aspabroc” is derived from the unique flavor that resembles a mixture of asparagus and broccoli.
More than $250 million down, another $530 million to go.
That’s how much of a projected $783 million state budget hole the Colorado legislature filled by the time a special session called to address the impact of the federal tax bill ended Tuesday afternoon — and the larger amount that still remains. Erasing the rest of the red ink will fall to Gov. Jared Polis, who plans to rebalance this year’s budget in the coming days through a mix of cuts to state funding and a big dip into the rainy-day fund.
Over six days, the legislature’s majority Democrats fulfilled their part of a plan worked out with the governor’s office: to pass legislation that is expected to generate enough revenue to close about a third of the shortfall projected for the state’s budget in the current fiscal year, which began July 1. They ended tax breaks and found other ways to offset declining state income tax revenue, while leaving spending cuts largely for Polis to decide.
“What we did here in this special session is soften the blow,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, a Greenwood Village Democrat who chairs the legislature’s budget committee. “But when the federal government cuts $1.2 billion in revenue from the state with a stroke of a pen, after we’ve already cut $1.2 billion (from the budget) in the regular session, that’s a tough deficit to come back from in a way that doesn’t impact the people of Colorado.”
The special session ended with 11 bills going to Polis for final approval. Five sought to fill the budget gap, largely by ending tax incentives for businesses and high-income earners.
The single largest revenue-raising measure, House Bill 1004, will auction off tax credits that can be claimed in future tax years for a discount. Backers expected that bill to bring in an additional $100 million to state coffers this year, at the expense of about $125 million in future years.
Together, those measures add up to $253 million in revenue to reduce the projected deficit — money that Democrats say represents averted cuts to Medicaid, schools and hospitals.
“Colorado legislators stepped up and helped protect children’s food access and minimized the devastating cost increases to health insurance premiums across the state, to the best of our ability,” Polis, who signed two of the new bills earlier Tuesday, said in a statement.
The legislature’s Joint Budget Committee expects to meet Thursday to hear Polis’ plan to address the remaining $500 million or so, including mid-year spending cuts.
As part of his call for a special session on Aug. 6, Polis announced a statewide hiring freeze. He said in an interview before the session started that he hoped to avoid cuts to K-12 education, but he has left all other options on the table, including Medicaid program spending.
The plan also factors in a significant use of reserves to offset some of the remaining gap.
Partisan debates
Over the past week, Republicans fought the Democrats’ bills, but strong Democratic majorities in both legislative chambers all but preordained the outcome.
“Not only did we increase taxes, we’re balancing the budget on the back of small businesses,” said Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Brighton Republican on the budget committee.
One of the bills heading to Polis would erase a fee paid by the state to businesses for collecting sales taxes — an outdated subsidy, according to Democrats, and an unnecessary new burden now put on businesses, according to Republicans.
Republicans said before the session that they’d likely challenge several bills in court over allegations that they violate provisions in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights that require voter approval for tax increases. Kirkmeyer and Rep. Rick Taggart, a Grand Junction Republican who’s also on the budget committee, said bills going to the governor that would eliminate some tax credits and allow the sale of tax credits against future collections seemed particularly vulnerable to a challenge under TABOR.
Debate throughout the special session took a distinctly partisan edge. Democrats laid the cuts on congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump and called the federal tax bill a de facto theft of benefits from the poorest Coloradans to benefit the wealthiest.
Republicans countered that the federal bill delivered much-needed tax cuts, and they said Democrats sought to yank those away instead of cutting partisan priorities.
Legislators begin to gather in the Senate Chambers before the start of another day of the special legislative session at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on Aug. 26, 2025. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
Bills on wolves, artificial intelligence
Other bills passed sought to respond to different aspects of the federal bill, formerly known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” as well as other priorities.
Lawmakers stripped general fund money away from the voter-approved program to reintroduce wolves in the state, though releases are expected to continue this winter. They tweaked ballot language for a measure about taxes for universal school meals to allow that money to go to general food assistance, as well, if voters approve it in November.
The legislature also approved a bill allowing state Medicaid program to pay Planned Parenthood for services provided, after the federal government specifically barred federal money from going to the organization.
Polis included in his call of the session that lawmakers address concerns swirling around the state’s first-in-the-nation regulations of artificial intelligence after a similar effort in the spring blew up. The rules now in law go into effect in February.
After days of bruising negotiations, lawmakers punted on any new changes and delayed the existing rules from going into effect until the end of June — giving them time to resume the debate during the next regular legislative session in January.
A Central Florida congressman has put forward a proposal for the newest national park in the United States: the Florida Springs National Park.Congressman Randy Fine (R) has filed a bill in the U.S. Congress to create the nation’s 64th national park, consisting of the Ocala National Forest and several area springs, including Silver Springs and Alexander Springs.Fine said he’s an avid traveler to the county’s national parks, which include the Everglades in South Florida.”The idea of it is to commemorate our Florida springs and the surrounding areas on a level like the Everglades or Yellowstone or Yosemite,” Fine said. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country.”He said designating the forest and springs as a national park, which would spread across multiple counties, would drive tourism, increase environmental protections and funding for the springs.Fine maintains recreational activities, including hunting and hiking, or kayaking at the springs, would be up for discussion, and the designation could perhaps be varied depending on the types of activities that occur.”Florida springs are unique on an international level,” he said. “They should be protected, and how do we build that into something that has a national designation that would transform this part of Central Florida?”Fine plans to announce the filing at a news conference Monday at Silver Springs.
OCALA, Fla. —
A Central Florida congressman has put forward a proposal for the newest national park in the United States: the Florida Springs National Park.
Congressman Randy Fine (R) has filed a bill in the U.S. Congress to create the nation’s 64th national park, consisting of the Ocala National Forest and several area springs, including Silver Springs and Alexander Springs.
Fine said he’s an avid traveler to the county’s national parks, which include the Everglades in South Florida.
“The idea of it is to commemorate our Florida springs and the surrounding areas on a level like the Everglades or Yellowstone or Yosemite,” Fine said. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country.”
He said designating the forest and springs as a national park, which would spread across multiple counties, would drive tourism, increase environmental protections and funding for the springs.
Fine maintains recreational activities, including hunting and hiking, or kayaking at the springs, would be up for discussion, and the designation could perhaps be varied depending on the types of activities that occur.
“Florida springs are unique on an international level,” he said. “They should be protected, and how do we build that into something that has a national designation that would transform this part of Central Florida?”
Fine plans to announce the filing at a news conference Monday at Silver Springs.
