Choosing perennial tulips Technically all tulips should be perennial. However years and year of hybridizing, not to mention the fact that our North American conditions do not align with those where tulips originate, means that for some types, the bloom reliability will wane. Also, there are many tulips that have been bred for the cut flower industry. The focus for those has been on producing one big beautiful bloom on a strong stem....
Why use organic rose pest solutions Before introducing the pests themselves, it’s important to understand why the kind of pest control you use is critical to your garden’s overall health. Yes, rose pests are a common complaint of rose-loving gardeners, but with pollinator populations on the decline, it’s important for us to choose organic rose pest solutions, rather than synthetic chemicals that could harm other wildlife. Many popular rose pest control products are granular systemic pesticides that are sprinkled on the soil around the base of the plant....
In the spring, the vibrant yellow of spurge and forsythia provides a cheerful antidote to the drab winter tones that have dominated the garden. Then come the summer blooms with coneflowers and coreopsis, while chrysanthemums and black eyed Susans provide those harvest shades that carry us through autumn. Of course there are some lovely yellow annuals, too, like sunflowers and marigolds. I had to add those. But let’s start with some yellow perennial flowers to brighten up your garden....
I did a little reading and discovered that all those seed pods that appear at the end of the summer open up and drop their seeds to the grass or garden below. If you want to start a rose of Sharon nursery, you’re in business. If you don’t, you’re going to be spending some time pulling up all those earnest little seedlings. (I mentioned this in a piece the Savvy Gardening team wrote about our garden blunders....
Perennial vegetables have become a foundation of permaculture gardening and used widely in food forests along with fruiting crops like highbush blueberries, apples, grapes, and currants. If the thought of a low-maintenance harvest of leafy greens and tasty tubers intrigues you, I highly recommend the award-winning book by Eric Toensmeier, Perennial Vegetables. It’s packed with pros, cons, and all the detailed info you need to get started growing perennial vegetables....
Why do you need to know when to harvest cucumbers? Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are produced on vining or bush type plants that are grown between the last spring frost and first fall frost. They like a warm and long growing season and thrive in a sunny garden bed with fertile, well-draining soil. Knowing when to harvest cucumbers can mean the difference between an over-mature mushy fruit and one that is crisp and delicious....
When it comes to heirloom tomatoes, some gardeners find it tough to pick a favorite. There are many different attributes to consider; it’s not just about the flavor. I’m attracted to a certain texture (mealiness is a huge turn-off!), a certain size, and a certain level of acidity, and because there are thousands of different heirloom tomato varieties available, narrowing my selections down didn’t come easy. But, I did it! And so I present:...
What is quinoa? Quinoa is indigenous to the Andes Mountain region in South America and has been cultivated for thousands of years. It grows best in regions where summer temperatures don’t exceed 90 F (32 C), but plant breeders have been working on varieties that grow well in both warmer and coastal climates. The plants of most varieties of quinoa grow four to six feet tall, producing seeds in shades of light tan, red, or black....
That’s probably because sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) thrives in part shade to full shade. This perennial herb (the herb section is where you are likely to find it at the garden center), is much more suited for a woodland or shade garden. Hardy down to about USDA zone 4 or 5 (and evergreen in the southern states), the foliage is shaped like green starbursts. The leaves are also described as “whorled....
This one is simply a frosty fern + a poinsettia + a cyprus evergreen + a Santa ornament on a stick (which may cause you to disagree with the “stylish” part of my “simple, stylish” comment) + a birch bark-covered pot + a wee bit of potting soil to fill in the holes and the bottom. It took me no more than five minutes to put it all together.
Why grow sunflowers in pots There are many reasons to grow sunflowers in pots, but perhaps the best reason is space. Sunflower plants can take up a lot of room in the garden, but there are many compact and container-friendly varieties available to plant in pots. Sunflowers not only brighten up a sunny deck, patio, or balcony, but the blooms also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, and can be clipped for summer bouquets....
Here’s how you can help fireflies in your own backyard Step 1: Understand fireflies – You can’t help fireflies unless you know a few important facts about them. Members of the Lampyridae family of beetles, fireflies are found on every continent except Antarctica, and there are about 150 different species of fireflies in North America. Also commonly called lightning bugs, the adult insects use their bioluminescent abdomens to attract mates. The pattern of flashes is unique to each species, as is the color of their glow (it’s like an insect Morse code for mating!...
Shade vs sun The shade-tolerant herbs I discuss in this article produce their tasty leaves even with limited sunlight. While they may grow more robust if they receive full sun, they’ll still provide your family with enough harvests to satisfy your herbal appetite with just a few hours of sun per day. When it comes to herbs that grow in shade. you may wonder how much shade is too much. Ideally, these plants should receive at least 2 hours of full sun per day....
What is a plumosa fern? When I was a professional floral designer, I worked with this plant on a regular basis. It is commonly used as a filler green in floral arrangements because of its soft leaves. Known botanically as Asparagus plumosus (means “plumed”) or Asparagus setaceus (setaceus means “hairy”), this plant is in the Asparagaceae family. It is in the same genus as edible asparagus, but it is a different species....
The benefits of growing watermelon in containers Aside from saving space, there are several other reasons why growing watermelon in pots is a smart idea. First, watermelons love warm soil. If you plant the seeds or transplants in cool soil, they’ll languish, and the seeds may even rot before they germinate. Typically, soil in containers warms up much faster in the spring than the soil in the ground. If you grow in dark-colored pots or black grow bags, they absorb the sun’s rays, warming up the soil inside even faster....
Native to various parts of Asia and naturalized throughout, this herbaceous perennial is part of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family. Japanese anemones are also called windflowers (among other types of anemones) because of the way the blooms sway in the wind. The flower stems are upright, long and firm, yet flexible, which is noticeable when you watch the bees land on the blooms… they just sort of bounce up and down....
Hardneck vs softneck garlic — what’s the difference? There are two main types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Garlic is separated into these two categories based on each variety’s tendency to develop flower stalks, its hardiness, and its clove formation pattern. Hardneck garlic features: • Hardneck varieties develop a long flowering stem, called a scape, which eventually develops tiny bulbils at its top end. Under ground, around this central flowering stem, is a single row of cloves wrapped together in a papery sheath to form the “head” or bulb of garlic....
Edibles, particularly, those with eye-catching foliage, flowers, or fruits, can be incorporated into perennial gardens, flower beds or container gardens alongside traditional ornamental plants. This sneaky technique allows you to grow more food without digging up new gardens and adds layers of interest to your landscape. We even like to edge our flower and shrub beds with red (or mixed) lettuces, curly parsley, red-veined sorrel, bush basil, ‘Peppermint’ swiss chard, and other low-growing veggies and herbs....
What are alpine strawberries? Alpine strawberries were originally native to Europe and Asia, but the plants have been bred and cultivated to select varieties known for flavor that’s above and beyond the native wild strain. The fruits of alpine strawberry plants are small and conical. Known as fraises des bois in France (which translates to “berries of the woods”), they are celebrated and cherished throughout their harvest period. How is an alpine strawberry different from a regular strawberry Alpine strawberries are a completely different species than the strawberries you find on the grocery store shelves....
Turnips (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) are among those early-spring crops that you can sow in cool weather, before the heat lovers, like tomatoes and peppers go in. They are quick growing, so you’ll likely have a harvest by late spring. You can plant turnip seeds about two to three weeks before your last frost date. Stagger your sowing and you’ll extend your harvest period so you can enjoy them for longer....
