Author: JESSIE KEITH

Plants are the lens Jessie views the world through because they’re all-sustaining. (“They feed, clothe, house and heal us. They produce the air we breathe and even make us smell pretty.”) She’s a garden writer and photographer with degrees in both horticulture and plant biology from Purdue and Michigan State Universities. Her degrees were bolstered by internships at Longwood Gardens and the American Horticultural Society. She has since worked for many horticultural institutions and companies and now manages communications for Sun Gro Horticulture, the parent company of Black Gold. Her joy is sharing all things green and lovely with her two daughters.

Bayberry for Landscapes and Candle Making

When we visit Cape Henlopen, Delaware along the Atlantic coast in fall, I always enjoy plucking a few waxy bayberries to rub between my fingers on the way to the beach. Their warm, familiar scent quickly fills the air. My children like the aroma, too, and it’s no wonder. Bayberries have been a staple of American candle and scent making since colonial times and earlier. But, they offer even more; utility, resilience, and adaptability, make these tough, native shrubs perfect for shore-side and inland landscapes.

Bayberries (Myrica spp.) have other unique attributes that give them a shore-side edge. They tolerate salt, moist soil, set deep roots, and grow well in sand or clay. Most importantly, they are able to convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil-bound nitrogen, like plants in the pea family (legumes). That means that they fertilize themselves and plants around them. (Click here to learn more about other garden plants that feed the soil naturally.) The berries also feed native birds, such as Carolina wrens, through winter.

Good Bayberries for Gardens

Before planting bayberries, it is important to understand that they are dioecious, meaning that some shrubs and male flowers and others have female flowers. That means that a male and female are needed in the landscape for fruitset.

Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica, Zone 3-8) is a deciduous shrub that produces some of the finest smelling bayberries. It tends to become quite a large shrub reaching 5-12 feet, but there are a number of varieties that stay much smaller. Southern Bayberry (Myrica caroliniensis, Zones 6-10) the evergreen is similar in most traits other than foliage but is far less available at plant nurseries.

Bobbee™ (Myrica pensylvanica ‘Bobzam’) is a female variety that reaches 4-6 feet and bears copious waxy fruits on stems lined with deep green leaves.

Silver Sprite™ (Myrica pensylvanica ‘Morton’): A compact female that has grey-green foliage, bears many fall fruits that are excellent for candle making, and has dense branching, and a tidy broad-oval habit. Mature specimens can reach 4 to 5 feet high and 6 to 7 feet wide. Plant it with Male Silver Sprite™ (Myrica pensylvanica ‘Morton Male’), which has the same habit but produces make flowers. The leaves of both turn deep purple in fall.

Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera, Zones 6-10) evergreen foliage makes this Oceanside bayberry great for home landscapes. In the wild, it commonly dots the dunes and beaches from New Jersey down to Florida. Uncultivated specimens can form small trees reaching 10-15 feet, but there are plenty of dwarf varieties well suited to home landscapes. The small, tidy ‘Don’s Dwarf‘ (3 feet), with its blue-green fruits and olive-green leaves is one of the best and most widely available.

Planting and Care

These adaptable shrubs will tolerate excess moisture and drought once established. At planting time it helps to feed the soil with a quality amendment, such as Fafard Topsoil. (Click here to read more about how to site and plant trees.)

Prune large specimens liberally, as needed, after flowering or fruitset. Compact varieties only need light pruning and shaping early in the season. August and September are often the best months to collect berries for harvest. If you have them in your landscape, be sure to leave a few for the birds.

DIY Homemade Bayberry Candles

The waxy berries of Myrica cerifera and M. pensylvanica — The waxy berries of *Myrica cerifera* and *M. pensylvanica* are copious and covered with fragrant wax nodules.

Ingredients

4 cups bayberries
5 cups of water
Saucepan (just for candlemaking)
Cotton wick
Clothes Pin and Popsicle Stick (see below)
Metal Washer
Two 8 oz canning jars
8 oz. Beeswax
Label
Pyrex bowl
Disposable chopstick or bamboo skewer

It takes approximately 4 cups of bayberries to yield 1 cup of wax. Start by picking mature bayberries; they should be fragrant, blue-gray, and waxy. This recipe will make two 8 oz. candles for gifting.

Place the bayberries in the saucepan, cover with water, bring it to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool. Once fully cool, the wax will harden and can be removed by hand from the pan. Be sure to remove any stray berries. The wax should be olive-green and fragrant. Your saucepan will smell of it forever, which is why we recommend purchasing an inexpensive saucepan just for candle making.

Fragrant bayberry wax is generally mixed with other natural wax, such as sweet-smelling beeswax, to make candles. Place the bayberry wax in a Pyrex bowl (preferably with a spout) along with the beeswax. Place it over a saucepan of water, double-boiler style, and bring it to a low boil until the wax has melted. Mix the waxes together with the wooden chopstick.

Tie the wick to the washer and dip it in the wax to prime the wick. Center the wash at the bottom of the candle and use the clothes pin to hold the wick at the center of the jar. Then slowly pour the melted wax in, being sure to leave 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Repeat with the second jar.

Label your candles, secure their lids, and you are done!

Homemade candle with clothespin to keep the wick centred — When making any candle be sure to prime and center the wick. A clothespin lengthened with a popsicle stick glued to the base works well. Trim your wick once the wax has hardened.

What Light Do Indoor Succulents Need?

“I’m new to the succulent world. Now that winter is fast approaching, I’m wanting to learn about indoor lighting for the succulents. Any helpful information would be so appreciated. Thank you so much!” Maria of Young Harris, Georgia

Answer: Truly, it depends on the succulent. Most grow best in natural sunlight, while others perform better in bright, indirect sunlight. As a rule, most spined cacti prefer direct sunlight as do many broad-leaved succulents, like kalanchoes, and sedums. A few for bright indirect light are Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera spp.), jade plant (Crassula ovata), and Mother-in-Law’s-Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata). Here are some more lighting details along with some grow-light options, if you lack sunny windows.

Sunlight for Succulents

South-facing windows are always the sunniest, so place your plants along these or in a sunny room that has excellent direct of indirect light for your succulents. Bright, indirect light can be found just outside of the direct sun rays. It feeds the plants but won’t burn the foliage of more shade-loving succulents.

Grow Lights for Succulents

Here are your indoor grow light options listed from the lowest to the highest price. You can use these if you lack good sunlight in your home.

1. Fluorescent Lights: There are several ways to go with fluorescent bulbs. The cheapest way is to use a balance of warm/red and cool/blue bulbs. Together they cover much of the light spectrum, but not all. Some fluorescent bulbs are specially designed for plant growing and cover more of the spectrum–up to 94%. In general, fluorescent bulbs are not very strong, so they must be placed just inches above plants for best light reception and growth. Most growers choose shop-light fixtures, which support long bulbs.

2. Metal Halide (MH) and High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) Lights – These bulbs can be quite expensive (both the bulbs and fixtures) and have high heat output, but they are stronger and can be used to grow larger plants. MH bulbs cover much of the warm/red light spectrum, which is best for foliage growth, while HPS bulbs cover more of the cool/blue spectrum, which is best for flowering. For this reason, these bulbs are often paired to cover a full spectrum for plant growth. If you want to use both bulb types, choose a fixture that will accept each.

4. LED – Great strides have been made regarding full-spectrum LED growing lights, and they are now superior to both fluorescent and MH-HPS options. They can be pricy, but they are long-lasting, full-spectrum, lack heat output, and require less energy. They are also stronger and can be used to grow larger plants. (Click here to learn more!)

Happy Succulent Growing!

Jessie Keith, Fafard Horticulturist

Native Viburnums: Great Shrubs for Fall

In spring they give us clusters of fragrant white flowers. In summer, their lush foliage and appealing habits take center stage, but fall is when native viburnums really perform. Their leaves turn glowing colors, and fruits of red, orange, yellow, or black, make a decorative statement before they are picked off by cardinals, finches, and waxwings. Some fruits may even be maintained into winter.

Native viburnums have a few more things in common. They are tough and resilient once established. Give them full sun, and well-drained, fertile soil amended with quality products like Fafard Premium Topsoil, and they will be happy. Average moisture will ensure the best flowering, fruiting, and fall color. Most are remarkably hardy. Bees and butterflies feed on the spring flowers, and all manner of wildlife enjoy the late-season fruits. Altogether, they are outstanding landscape shrubs that will not disappoint.

Arrowwood

Colorful Arrowood leaves — Arrowwood has some of the most attractive fall leaves that may turn red, orange, yellow, and/or purple. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Few shrubs are as tough as arrowwood (V. dentatum, Zones 3-8), an eastern native with a distribution that extends from New England down to Texas. Autumn Jazz® (10-12 feet) is a fall fireball with leaves of red, orange, and yellow. The somewhat shorter Blue Muffin® (5-7 feet) develops clusters of bright blue fruits and burgundy-red leaves at season’s end. Finally, Chicago Lustre® (8-12 feet) is especially tolerant of heat and drought, and its lustrous leaves turn shades of yellow, orange, and burgundy-red. If more than one shrub is planted for cross-pollination, the clusters of ivory spring flowers develop into blue-black fruits. The flowers are especially valued by bumblebees, and the caterpillars of the spring azure butterfly feed on the leaves.

Possumhaw

Brandywine (Image by Proven Winners) — Nothing can beat the fall show of Brandywine. (Image by Proven Winners)

Native to the whole of eastern North America, possumhaw (Viburnum nudum, Zone 5-9) grows best in moist, loamy soils. Clusters of fragrant white flowers welcome spring. Through late summer and fall, the fruits turn from green to pink to blue-black. They are tart but edible when mature. The glossy dark green leaves turn shades of burgundy and dark red. Brandywine^™ (5-7 feet) is one of the best varieties for a fantastic display of fruit and reliable burgundy leaf color. Plant more than one shrub to ensure a fruit display.

American Cranberrybush

Few shrubs are as beautiful as a fully fruited American Cranberrybush (V. opulus var. americanum (Syn. Viburnum trilobum), Zones 2-7 ) in fall. Birds cannot get enough of the drooping red fruits, and the maple-like leaves glow in the sun like embers. Its leaves are also important to spring azure butterfly caterpillars. A mature specimen can reach between 8 and 12 feet, so give it plenty of space.

Nannyberry

Nannyberry (V. lentago, Zones 2-8) is the largest of the viburnums mentioned and grows more like a small tree than a shrub. Fully mature specimens can reach up to 20 feet and tolerate moister soils than most. Natural populations extend far up into Canada, making it an unusually hardy plant. Its clusters of ivory flowers appear in mid to late spring. Black fruits and bright red or orange leaves comprise its fall show. The caterpillars of the spring azure butterfly feed on its leaves, and the sweet fruits are edible to humans as well as wildlife.

Any of these exceptional shrubs will enliven your garden’s show, especially in fall and winter. Their high wildlife value will also draw more bees, butterflies, and birds to your yard.

Bright Fall Flowers for Hummingbirds

Bright tubular flowers are nectar-filled beacons of hope for hummingbirds making their fall journey south. North American hummingbirds begin their great migration in late summer–some starting as far north as New Brunswick, Canada. It’s a long journey; an adult ruby-throated hummingbird can travel up to 20 miles and consume twice its weight in nectar and insects per day. Good food sources are essential, so reserve some space for their nectar-rich flowers in your fall garden. The beautiful blooms come in flaming colors, so it’s no chore.

Hummingbird Mints that Keep on Blooming

Young broad-tailed hummingbird taking nectar from Mexican giant hyssop — Young broad-tailed hummingbird takes nectar from Mexican giant hyssop.

Hummingbird mints (Agastache spp.) bloom from summer to fall and have fragrant foliage and flowers. The southwestern orange hummingbird mint (Agastache aurantiaca, Zones 4-9) is one of the prettiest with its loose spires of bright orange blooms. Try the 2.5-foot ‘Coronado’ with its silvery foliage and profuse tangerine-orange flowers. Mexican giant hyssop (Agastache mexicana, Zones 7-10) produces tall spikes of bright pink flowers on 3-foot plants. Both Agastache bloom into fall, adding bright pops of color that are sure to lure many hummingbirds. Deadhead regularly.

Mexican Cigar Flower

Ruby-throated hummingbird male feeding from a cigar plant — A ruby-throated hummingbird male feeds from a cigar plant.

Vermillionaire^® Mexican cigar flower (Cuphea ignea Vermillionaire^®, Zones 8-11) is a bushy tender perennial that will bloom from summer to frost. Its numerous, orange-red, tubular flowers are excellent hummingbird food. Another added bonus is that the cigar flower is exceptionally heat and drought tolerant. It will shine through the worst of the summer weather and keep on shining when it cools down.

Hybrid Foxglove

Hummingbird flying towards a Digiplexus — Digiplexus are nonstop bloomers that flower right up to frost.

One of the coolest new perennials in recent years is Digiplexus, a hybrid cross between the spring-flowering European foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and Canary Island foxglove (Isoplexis canariensis). Brilliant raspberry-pink flower spikes cover the impressive Digiplexus ‘Illumination Raspberry Improved’ from summer to frost. It will overwinter in Zones 8-11, and hummingbirds can’t get enough of the blooms.

Cannas

Cannas tall and short have colorful flowers that hummingbirds cannot resist. Whether you plant them in containers or gardens, they make a nonstop garden statement. My garden is never without ‘Striata’
(syn. ‘Pretoria’, ‘Bengal Tiger’). Its 4- to 5-foot plants have yellow-striped leaves and electric orange flowers. Gardeners with less space can try the 2-foot ‘Cleopatra‘, which has red and yellow flowers and green foliage with purple blocks of color. It grows beautifully in pots filled with Fafard^® Ultra Container Mix with Extended Feed. Right after the first frost, I cut my cannas back, dig the tubers, and store them in my cool, dark basement through winter.

Salvias for Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated hummingbird male feeding from Texas sage.

Late-blooming salvias are some of the finest flowers for traveling hummers. Each fall, my Hummingbird Forest Fire Texas sage (Salvia coccinea Hummingbird™ ‘Forest Fire’) looks the best in September. Its wands of deepest red flowers wake up late-season gardens. I also grow the pink-flowered ‘Brenthurst Pink’ Texas sage, which blends well with soft-colored plant compositions. Both of these plants are easily grown from seed in spring.

Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha, Zones 8-10) bears its arching spikes of small, fuzzy, purplish-red flowers in fall. Make space for the bushy, 2- to 3-foot plants through summer. When they produce their big show of flowers, you will see that they were worth the wait.

A young ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) feeding from the flowers of pineapple sage.

Another salvia with fall-only flowers is the herbal Golden Delicious pineapple sage (Salvia elegans Proven Accents^® Rockin’^® ‘Golden Delicious’). Each large, bushy plant is covered with soft, golden leaves that smell of mint and pineapple. They can be used to flavor drinks, tea, and desserts. Mid-fall is when the real show begins when contrasting spikes of scarlet flowers appear. The hummingbird flowers are also edible to humans.

Hummingbirds live for five to nine years, and once they find a good yard filled with their floral foods, they will return to it. Adding any of these colorful flowers to your fall garden will extend its value to hummingbirds down to the last flowering day of the season.

Fun Garden Jobs for Kids

It is natural for parents who love gardening to want their children to share that love. The best way to grow a future gardener is to get him or her into the garden early and often. Start off on the right foot by taking the baby basket with you and parking it in the shade when you go out to weed or tend the beds. The sights, sounds, and smells will surround your child and pave the way for positive associations in the future.

Start Digging the Dirt

Kids digging in the dirt — Kids simply enjoying following their parents around and digging in the dirt.

Toddlers who are too young to help out in more specific ways may relish digging in the dirt with a small shovel or trowel. This is not a “chore”, but it will certainly get them in touch with the earth. Toddlers are also naturally curious. Point out interesting flowers, plants, butterflies, and other insects to give your child a sense of comfort and familiarity with the garden’s animal, flower, fruit, and vegetable denizens.

Get Growing with your Child

Children gardening — As children gro older, they can take on more responsibilities in the garden

One of the best ways to nurture a future gardener is to give the child a small plot or pot of their own and some seeds to plant. Kids may be able to help with simple soil preparation, like raking a new bed or filling containers with potting mixes like Fafard Natural and Organic Potting Mix.

When choosing flower or vegetable varieties for your child to plant, a good rule of thumb is, “the smaller the person, the bigger the seed.” Opt for big, non-toxic seeds, like those for pumpkin, sunflower, or nasturtium—easy to hold and see—and show how to make planting holes and cover the seeds with soil. If you are planting smaller seeds, like those for cool-season greens or carrots, try to find pelleted seed, which is easier for small hands. (Click here for a list of great seeds for kids.)

Though many a gardener has launched a lifetime passion by starting seeds indoors in flats, egg cartons, or paper cups, direct sowing is a more immediate way of establishing a garden connection. You just have to be careful what you sow. Once again, large-seeded plants are easier to start outdoors, while some vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers, simply perform better when planted indoors from seed.

Whatever you plant, you and your child will have the pleasure of getting out in the garden regularly to watch the seeds grow, and ultimately, harvesting the flowers or vegetables. If the child can hold a small watering can, they can water their own plants with a little initial guidance about where and when to water.

Getting Your Kids to Help Weeding

Child gardening — Planting, weeding, and cleaning tools are all good tasks for budding gardeners.

There is something satisfying about cleaning a garden space of weeds, and it’s a great way to teach kids about competition for resources. The simple removal of weeds will give your vegetables and flowers more water, nutrients, and sunlight!

Older children may be able to help with weeding, especially if it is part of the routine of caring for their own plots or pots. Even adults have trouble with weed identification, so start by teaching your novice gardener about common, easy-to-spot weeds, like dandelions and crabgrass. Explain that weeds are not “bad”, they are just plants growing in the wrong places and taking water and food from the sunflowers or squash plants. Stress good weeding technique—wearing pint-size garden gloves and pulling out the weeds along with the roots, rather than breaking off the tops. Depending on the child’s age, a child-size or standard-size trowel can help with this. Kids take pride in having their own special tools.

If you have a compost pile, this is a good time to teach your child about disposing of weeds and other organic garden debris in the composter or on the pile. If a child is old enough to help with weeding, he or she is old enough to understand basic information about decomposition, or how time and nature break down weeds into food for the soil.

Garden Harvest with Kids

Child with tomato eyes — Harvest time should be fun.

Even the smallest child can help with the harvest, which is the reward for all the planting, tending and, especially, waiting involved in the gardening process. Like flower picking, successful harvesting needs a little guidance and practice to make perfect. Show your child how to grasp and gently snap off beans or peas. Explain how to spot a fruit or veggie that is ripe enough to pick. Let them enjoy the harvest—the taste of one cherry tomato eaten while it is still warm from the sun may well get your child more enthused about gardening than all the picture books or verbal instruction in the world.

Set a Good Gardening Example

Delighted child in the garden — Garden organically, eat what you grow, teach your children about life cycles and pollinators. These experiences will make lasting impressions on your kids.

Children are much more likely to imitate what we do, than do what we tell them. Encourage your child to spend time in the garden with you, even if they show little or no interest in garden chores. Remember that you are planting the seeds of an interest, hobby, or even vocation that may lie dormant for years before sprouting later on in your child’s life. Be patient. Every good gardener knows that some seeds take longer to germinate than others.

What Are Good Dwarf Shrubs for Planter Boxes?

“Hi, I am desperately trying to find mini shrubs to fill in a long planter box in my backyard. I have two boxes in full sun and looking for an arrangement that looks great all year around. So, I think I need small shrubs (max 2 feet tall) mixed in with flowers, but I have no idea where to start, what looks good together. I did see Purple Pixie Weeping Loropetalum on a Home Depot website, but it seems like it would die. Any suggestions, articles, places I can look at arrangements would be greatly appreciated.” Question from Andrea of Brooklyn, New York

Answer: There are lots of dwarf shrubs suitable for container culture that are hardy to your USDA Hardiness Zone 6 location. You are correct about the Loropetalum. It is hardy to Zone 7, so it will not tolerate the cold where you live. Here are some very compact, evergreen options that would look pretty in your containers year-round and survive in your planter boxes. All will grow best with well-drained containers filled with a top-quality mix, like Fafard^® Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix.

Compact, Hardy Shrubs for Containers

Tater Tot^® Arborvitae reaches 12-24 inches and has the cutest, tidiest mound of evergreen foliage.
Jelly Bean® Blueberry stays small, looks like a tiny boxwood, and has the benefit of edible berries and colorful fall leaves.
Lil’ Ditty^® Witherod Viburnum is tiny and has clusters of white flowers in spring, attractive foliage, and fall/winter berries.
Invincibelle Wee White^® Smooth hydrangea reaches 12-30 inches and has big clusters of white flowers in summer.

Compact Evergreen Perennials for Containers

There are many evergreen perennials that you should consider. These include the herbal Berggarten sage, fragrant Sweet Romance Lavender, tidy, pink-flowered Germander, the golden, trailing Angelina sedum, and tough, evergreen Christmas Fern.

I hope that some of these suggestions are useful.

Happy Gardening,

Jessie Keith, Fafard Horticulturist

Rainbow Vegetables for Kids’ Gardens

The prettier a vegetable, the tastier it looks, and the more fun it is to grow and pick. Harvesting plain old green beans from the garden is certainly not as exciting as picking beans that are red-striped, gold, and purple. And plain red tomatoes are nice, but an all-in-one purple, red, yellow, and green tomato is something extraordinary. Rainbow vegetables make gardening with kids more fun.

These vegetables are as easy to grow as their standard-colored counterparts, so no added stress on adult gardeners. The rules are the same: feed your soil, plant robust plants, give them plenty of sun and water, fertilize, weed, and harvest. (Click here to read my top 10 tips for starting a successful vegetable garden.)

Rainbow Beans

Tricolor bush beens in a tray — Tricolor bush beans make bean picking more fun.

Short bush beans are the easiest for children to harvest, and they are the fastest to yield. Colorful varieties include Renee’s Garden Seeds’ Tricolor Bush Beans, which contains three different high-quality varieties in one packet–the yellow ‘Golden Roc d’Or’, purple ‘Purple Queen’, and bright green ‘Slenderette’. Together they look beautiful. (Note: purple beans tend to lose their color when cooked.) ‘Dragon Tongue‘ bush beans are really fun because they are yellowish with bold stripes of reddish-purple. They can be eaten fresh when young and tender or dried for winter bean soups. The dried beans are similarly colored.

Rainbow Beets

Colorful cut beets — These brilliant beets make the prettiest salads.

The most colorful beet is the candy-cane-striped Italian heirloom ‘Chioggia’, which remains mild, sweet, and tender, even when large, but beets come in many other colors. Renees’ Five Color Rainbow gourmet beet mix has beets of dark red, red, gold, white, and candy-cane-striped. They are ready only 55 days after planting, so you can enjoy several crops over a summer. (Click here to watch a video about how to grow beets.)

Rainbow Carrots

Harlequin Mix carrots look so beautiful together.

Colorful carrots look and taste a little different, but all are crunchy and sweet if grown in spring or fall. Harlequin Mix has several crisp, sweet Dutch Nantes carrot varieties in shades of ivory, orange, reddish-purple, and yellow. My kids enjoy eating them fresh with a little ranch dressing to dip into.

Rainbow Chard

Rainbow Improved Swiss chard is brilliant.

Not every child loves greens, but the brilliant colors of Improved Rainbow Blend mixed Swiss chard look vibrant in the garden and taste good if well-prepared. (My daughters like sauteed Swiss chard with parmesan cheese.) The large-leaved vegetables are closely related to beets and have stems of orange, pink, red, white, and yellow. They taste sweetest if harvested in fall when the nights begin to grow cool.

Rainbow Corn

'Astronomy Domine' corn — ‘Astronomy Domine’ is a multi-colored sweet corn!

Sweet corn is not just yellow and white kernelled. The amazing rainbow corn, ‘Astronomy Domine‘, from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, is multicolored sweet corn with an old-fashioned sweet flavor. At first glance, it’s easy to mistake for colorful native flint corn, but no. What a surprise! Plants should produce ears 65 to 70 days after planting in the warm soil of late-spring.

Popcorn is another favorite for kids’ gardens. It is a crop that requires patience because the ears need to fully dry on the plants before harvest–usually by early to mid-fall. ‘Cherokee Long Ear’ popcorn has 5- to 7-inch ears with kernels of ivory, purple, red, and yellow. It generally takes 90 to 100 days to mature after planting. The popcorn it yields is a little smaller than store-bought, but it is very tasty.

Rainbow Squash

Some multicolored winter squashes have the sweetest flavor! Carnival acorn squash is one, and it’s a beaut with its green, ivory, orange, and yellow stripes and flecks. Inside is pale gold flesh that’s sweet and tasty. They are good keepers that do double duty in decorative fall arrangements. The semi-bush plants are compact enough for smaller gardens. Expect them to produce squash 85 days after planting. (Click here to learn more about growing great-tasting winter squash.)

Rainbow Tomatoes

Brad's Atomic Grape Tomato (Image thanks to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) — Brad’s Atomic Grape Tomato is as delicious as it is pretty. (Image thanks to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

There are so many wonderful wildly colored tomatoes these days, it’s hard to know what tastes as good as it looks. Here are some varieties and mixes that are pretty and delicious.

I cannot resist the Renees’ Garden combos because they are great for gardeners on a budget. The three-variety packet Rainbow’s End Mix, which contains the red ‘Brandywine’, yellow and red ‘Marvel Stripe’, and pale and dark green ‘Green Zebra’, is a perfect example. All three tomatoes are beautiful together and very flavorful. A superb multicolored slicer is Berkeley Tie-Dye Green, which has sweet-tart yellowish-green tomatoes with stripes of scarlet. The mind-blowing grape tomato, Brad’s Atomic Grape, is a surreal mix of black, orange, purple, red, and yellow with various hues in-between. Each offers a punch of sweet flavor.

Planting a handful of these festive vegetables will encourage even picky vegetable eaters to try a taste. Kids tend to eat more vegetables if they grow their own!

Carefree American Wildflowers for Sunny Summer Gardens

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My favorite carefree American wildflowers of summer are untamed, grassland natives that blow in the breeze and bring color to less formal, airier plantings. Their waves of flower color glow on warm days when pollinators are most active. These are flowers that you slow down to look at along roadside meadows but are tame enough for gardens. Each year their seeds gently sprout here and there, creating beds with ever-changing character.

Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost Blend pack

Another welcome trait is that they require no special skills to grow. Plant them in full sun, average soil with good drainage, (Fafard Natural & Organic Compost is a good amendment to add at planting time), give them a little water on dry days, weed as needed, and they will essentially care for themselves.

Plant them together in colorful swaths or among ornamental grasses for a free and beautiful meadow effect. (Click here to learn more about meadow gardening.) Most of these American wildflowers are perennials with one annual added to the mix.

Carefree American Wildflowers

Winecups (Image by Jessie Keith, taken at Chanticleer Garden) — Winecups thrive in summer heat and weave themselves among other flowers. (Image by Jessie Keith, taken at Chanticleer Garden)

Winecups (Callirhoe involucrata, Zones 4-10) knit and weave themselves around other flowers and grasses to provide hot color with its cups of deep magenta flowers. It has a deep taproot and is quite drought tolerant, reducing the need for supplemental water. Just provide winecups with full sun and a spot of dry to average soil that drains well, and it should be happy. Expect flowers from mid to late summer.

Hairbells look delicate but are drought and wind tolerant.

The hairbell (Campanula rotundifolia, Zones 3-7) is named for its delicate bells of violet to pale blue that hang from slender 12- to 18-inch stems. The plants look sleight but will tolerate quite a bit of drought once established. Plant them in full to partial sun, provide average moisture, and watch them produce their pretty flowers from early to late summer.

Dyer's Coreopsis 'Mardi Gras' — Dyer’s Coreopsis ‘Mardi Gras’ is a pretty annual wildflower that self sows.

The annual Dyer’s coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) bears lots of small gold or gold and burgundy daisies atop slender stems in the summer months. The 1- to 2-foot plants can sometimes flop. Planting them among upright perennials and grasses helps provide stability. Bees and butterflies love the flowers, and no special skills are needed to grow it. Just sprinkle the seed on worked ground in spring, keep it moist, and watch them sprout and grow. Expect them to gently self-sow. The variety ‘Mardi Gras‘ is extra pretty with its quilled petals of gold and maroon. Dyer’s coreopsis is also valued as a traditional dye plant (click here to learn more).

Pale purple and purple coneflowers (Echinacea pallida and E. purpurea, Zones 3-8) are valued for their beautiful large-coned daisies and wildlife benefits; few native wildflowers can beat these. They’re a snap to grow, bloom over a long period in summer, especially if deadheaded, and provide a few seedlings each year. Leave the last wave of autumn seedheads up to dry and feed winter birds.

Purple coneflower begins to bloom in early summer, has large leaves, bright purple-red flowers with large cones, wide radial petals, and bears many blooms. The wilder looking pale purple coneflower has fewer flowers with drooping lavender-pink petals and slender leaves. But, it has an elegant, untamed look that is appealing in mixed plantings.

Blazing star (Liatris spicata, Zones 3-11) is a bold bloomer with many tall (3 to 5 foot) spikes of fuzzy purple flowers that are prettiest in midsummer. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies line the purple wands when they are in full bloom. When not in bloom, the plants have neat clumps of grassy foliage. Site blazing star in a spot with full sun and average to moist soil, and it will grow beautifully.

Yellow coneflowers have unusual lax petals that flutter in the wind. (Image by Jessie Keith)

The numerous tall, thin stems of yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata, Zones 3-9) can reach up to 4 feet (sometimes more). Its golden daisies are visited by bees and butterflies and have prominent central cones with drooping yellow petals that move in the wind. Plant yellow coneflower in full sun and average soil. Established specimens will tolerate drought. Flowering extends from mid to late summer.

Texas and Southeast wildflowers, scarlet sag and spotted horsemint — Spotted horsemint pairs well with the Texas and Southeast wildflower, scarlet sage (*Salvia coccinea*). (Image by Jessie Keith)

The unusual, tiered pink flowers of spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata, Zones 3-9) have some of the greatest pollinator power around, especially when it comes to feeding bees. The fragrant plants have a long bloom time that can extend from summer to fall. Well-drained soil and full sun are musts. The plants can reach between 2 to 3 feet, and maintain tidy clumps that do not spread, unlike other popular garden Monarda.

Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba, Zones 3-9) is a short-lived perennial known for its drifts of tiny golden daisies with brown eyes that delight the eye from late summer to fall. Ease of growth and a tendency to gently self-sow will ensure it will remain in your garden for years to come. Butterflies and bees are regular visitors to the flowers and finches enjoy eating the mature seeds.

These carefree flowers all grow well together. Plant your favorites in a wild border and watch the summer color, pollinators, and birds light up the garden.

Grow a Mexican Herb Garden

Several key herbs and peppers create the foundation of Mexican cuisine. Everyone knows and loves cilantro and chile peppers, but have you ever tried epazote, Mexican oregano, or Mexican mint marigold? Add some authenticity and good flavor to your Mexican dishes this season with these herbs and spices!

Mexican Herbs

Some of the herbs essential to Mexican cooking originate from the Old World, such are cilantro, cumin, and Mexican thyme. But, most other herbs common to Mexican cuisine are regional natives that have been used to flavor the traditional foods of indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

Delicate white flowers of cilantro — The delicate white flowers of cilantro develop into coriander seeds. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Annatto

Annatto (Bixa orellana, 20–33 feet, USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12), also called lipstick tree or achiote, is a tender tropical tree or shrub, but it can be grown and trained as a container specimen in cold-winter zones. It is native to the tropical Americas where its seeds have been used to impart sweet, peppery flavor, and bright orange-red color to foods for centuries. Southern Native American tribes also used it to color their skin and hair.

Gardeners in temperate areas can grow annatto in containers that can be brought outdoors in summer and overwintered in a sunny indoor location. They grow best in slightly acid soil that is evenly moist and fertile. Fafard® Professional Potting Mix is a good potting mix choice. Plant them in a large container, and keep them well pruned. In a couple of years, the evergreen shrubs will begin producing clusters of pretty, five-petaled pink flowers followed by hairy brownish-orange pods. These pods are filled with orange seeds that can be dried and enjoyed for cooking.

Epazote

The aromatic leaves of epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides, 2-3 feet, USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11) have a distinctive fennel taste when raw and develop a citrusy flavor when cooked. The leaves are commonly used in moles and soups. The rangy plants are not attractive, so surround them with prettier herbs, if garden appearance is important to you. The seeds are toxic, so cut back the flower heads to keep plants from setting seed. The leaves can also be a skin irritant for some.

Cilantro

The flavorful leaves of cilantro (Coriandrum sativum, 18-24 inches) are common in many Mexican dishes and salsas, and the seeds are ground to make the spice, coriander. Cilantro is a cool-season annual herb that grows best in spring and fall. It prefers full sun and well-drained, fertile soil. Its frilly white flowers set round seed heads that readily self-sow, so don’t be afraid to sprinkle some of its seeds on the ground after it has begun to die back.

Cumin

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum, 12-15 inches) is a warm-season, drought-tolerant annual that has feathery, aromatic leaves that can be added to salads. Its flower heads look like delicate Queen-Anne’s-lace blooms. Once they have set seed, collect the seeds, and grind them to make the spice cumin. Grow it as you would cilantro, and give the plants at least three months to produce seed. Cumin is a key component of taco seasoning but also has a place in more traditional Mexican dishes.

Mexican Oregano

Native to the American Southwest down to Central America, Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens, 2-4 feet, USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11) tastes a bit like oregano but has a distinctive lemony flavor. The leaves are used to season meats, beans, and vegetables. Mexican oregano is a small, open shrub that bears clusters of pretty white summer flowers (similar to the blooms of Lantana camara), which are pollinated by butterflies. Its leaves can be used dried or fresh.

Mexican Thyme

This semi-succulent African herb was brought to Mexico by the Spanish. Mexican thyme (Plectranthus amboinicus, 12-24 inches, USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11), also called Cuban oregano, has a strong oregano-like flavor and can be used fresh or dried to flavor meats. It grows best in partial sun and produces spikes of pretty lavender flowers during the growing months. This tender herb can be brought indoors in winter as a potted plant and is easy to propagate from cuttings. It likes well-drained potting soil, like OMRI Listed Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Mix.

Mexican Mint Marigold

Mexican marigold (Tagetes lucida, 18-24 inches, USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10) is a native of Mexico and Central America, so it will tolerate high heat and drought. The slender, fragrant leaves of this herbal marigold are used to flavor pork, chicken, and vegetables. The shrubby tender perennial bears pretty yellow flowers in summer that attract bees. Grow it in full sun and average soil with good drainage.

Mexican Peppers

Peppers are New World plants native from southern North America to northern South America. Many different varieties are used to flavor food in Mexico, but several are more common in traditional foods.

Plant all peppers in full sun and provide them with well-drained soil fortified with Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost. They will also grow better if fed with a tomato and vegetable fertilizer. Their small white flowers are bee-pollinated, so be sure to avoid using insecticides on them. Most peppers require staking or caging to support their heavy fruits. (Click here for our video about pepper growing.) Here are three essential peppers for Mexican cooking.

Jalapeño

Favored for spicing up salsas, jalapeño peppers (Capsicum annuum, 24-30 inches) are often harvested green, though they will mature to a deep red color. Like all peppers, they are warm-season vegetables that thrive in heat and will tolerate drought. Jalapeños have medium heat (3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units).

Poblano (Ancho) Chile

Poblano peppers are most productive in late summer.

The poblano chile (Capsicum annuum, 2.5-4 feet, has mild heat (1000-1500 Scoville Heat Units), and its origin is attributed to Puebla, Mexico. The peppers mature to a purplish brown, and when dried are called ancho chiles. The tall plants must be supported with a sturdy cage. These are the classic peppers used for chiles Rellenos and when dried they are used to flavor moles.

Serrano Chile

Spicy serrano chiles (Capsicum annuum, 2–4 feet) are generally harvested red and added to fresh salsas. They are spicy (10,000–23,000 Scoville Heat Units), very flavorful, and sweet when fully mature. One plant will produce a wealth of peppers.

Any one of these herbs or peppers will spice up your garden and cooking, so consider planting your own Mexican herb garden this season!

Ten Tips for Beautiful Container Gardens

You have purchased your pot, invested in potting soil, planted up your plants, and your container garden is well underway. In the cool of late spring, as container plants are rooting in, there are few stresses to disrupt your plantings. But, as plants grow and the summer heat ramps up, lots can go wrong. Here are tips for getting it all right.

The first half of successful container planting starts in the planning stages, by choosing the right pots, plants, soil, and fertilizer. The second half is knowing what to do to keep your container gardens looking great. Here are our top ten tips for container care from start to finish.

Pre-Planting Container Garden Tips

Colourful high-fired quality ceramic pots — High-fired, quality ceramic pots hold water well and overwinter better. Lighter-colored pots stay cooler in hot weather.

Choose the right pot – Large containers made of the right materials helps plants grow more happily through summer. Big pots hold more water, provide more root space, and remain cooler to encourage good growth through the hottest summer days. Pots made of water-impermeable materials, such as stone, glazed ceramic, plastic, or resin, hold water better. TerraCotta and porous cement pots wick water away from roots because they are porous, so they are better suited to drought-tolerant plants or succulents. Containers that are light in color are better for sunny plantings because they reflect the heat of the sun. Pots must drain well and have a saucer, internal reservoir, or basin to capture excess water. Those with a self-watering base must have an overflow hole to protect against the possibility of overwatering.

2. Choose the right soil – Great potting soil must hold water well, drain well, and have a neutral pH. When you buy a bag of potting soil, it should be loose and lightweight. If it is heavy, do not purchase it. Weight means it has been torn, improperly stored, and taken up water. For large, outdoor ornamental containers we recommend Fafard Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix, which is ideal for outdoor container gardens of all sizes. Fafard Natural & Organic Potting Mix is OMRI Listed for organic gardening and the best choice for potted edibles. Fafard Ultra Potting Mix with Extended Feed is just right for gardeners that like potting soils with added fertilizer. Cacti, succulents, and other low-water plants require a specialty mix, such as Black Gold Cactus Mix, or you can add perlite to increase the drainage of an all-purpose potting soil. (Click here to learn how to create mini potted cacti and succulent gardens.)

Metal bowl planter with Calibrachoa, sweet potato vine, Bacon, and geraniums — Overstuffed containers, like this metal bowl planter with Calibrachoa, sweet potato vine, Bacopa, and geraniums, look good in early summer but are often overcrowded by midsummer.

3. Choose the right plants and numbers. Will you place your containers on a sunny patio or window box, shaded porch, or bright, windy veranda? Is your summer climate hot and dry or mild and cool? The plants you choose must grow well in their destined location and in your local climate. Gardeners planting for sun must choose heat and drought-tolerant plants (click here for a list of Waterwise container plants), while shade-loving plants such as Begonia, Browallia, Impatiens, Torenia, and ferns are good choices for pots in partial to full shade (click here to learn more about growing Torenia). Consider the final size of each plant when designing containers, and do not overstuff the pots. Crowded plants compete for space, light, water, and nutrients, which causes them stress. Before planting, read about your plant’s needs and space them properly to ensure their best performance.

4. Choose the right fertilizer. Gardeners with little time should choose an all-purpose slow- or continuous-release fertilizer to apply at planting time. Vegetable and fruit containers should be fed with plant food specially formulated for edibles. Water-soluble plant food can give plants an extra boost to encourage renewed growth and flowering midseason–particularly after plants have been trimmed and deadheaded.

Hanging summer annuals — Most summer annuals cannot be planted outdoors until the threat of frost has passed.

5. Know when to plant – Spring containers must only contain frost-tolerant flowers, such as pansies, spring bulbs, and alyssum (click here to learn more about spring annuals for containers). Summer containers must be planted after the threat of frost has passed (click here to determine your last frost date). Summer containers can be livened up for fall with the addition of a few fresh pansies, ornamental peppers, or chrysanthemums.

Post-Planting Container Garden Tips

Watering plants — Good watering technique is essential to successful container gardening.

6. Know when and how to water. Good watering technique is all about common sense. Most garden flowers like lightly moist soil. If the soil is too wet for too long root rot will occur. If it’s too dry for too long plants will begin to wilt and die. When conditions are sunny, dry, hot, and breezy, plants use and lose more water (drawn up through their roots and lost through their leaves) and need more water. Likewise, when it has been rainy, cool, and still the need for water is reduced. Feel the soil before you water to determine if more is needed. If it is needed, irrigate until it flows from the bottom of the pot to ensure all the roots get moist.

Outdoor plants — Well watered and fertilized plants will look lush and flower and fruit well.

7. Know when to fertilize. Slow- or continuous-release fertilizer formulated for flowers makes feeding easy because applications are needed every few months, depending on the product. Apply at planting time and then as directed. Water-soluble fertilizer will encourage further flowering and growth during the height of summer. Containers also need a boost of water-soluble food after they have been trimmed back in mid- to late-summer. Proven Winners offers both a premium continuous-release and water-soluble fertilizer that we recommend for flower-filled containers.

Trimmed petunias — Many petunias continue looking good and blooming for longer if they are trimmed back later in summer.

8. Know if and when to prune and deadhead plants. To maintain any plant properly, read about its care. Some flowering plants are self-cleaning, such as sweet alyssum, Supertunia petunias, and Profusion Zinnias, while others, such as old-fashioned petunias and dahlias, need to have their old blooms removed to make way for new. Old-fashioned petunias, calibrachoa, and verbenas can become leggy, less productive, or overtake the pot as the summer wanes. Cutting the old stems back can rejuvenate growth and flowering for fall.

Old summer containers with fall elements and flowers — Reviving old summer containers with fall elements will give them a needed seasonal boost.

9. Know if and when to replace seasonal flowers. The pansies and stocks of spring often die back in the heat of summer and need replacement with warm-season summer flowers. Summer annuals that begin to look tired by early fall, like marigolds or traditional petunias, should also be replaced with seasonal pansies, peppers, or ornamental kale to keep containers looking great. (Click here to learn more about container gardening with ornamental peppers.) Don’t be afraid to replace struggling annuals when they start to visually bring a container down.

Winter pot in snow — Be sure that winter pots are crack-resistant.

10. Know how to overwinter pots. Be sure you choose the right pots if you want to overwinter containers outdoors (click here to read about overwintering containers). If your pots contain small shrubs or perennials, place them in a protected spot. Seasonal containers can be placed in a garage, basement, or under a dry porch where they will not become damaged by the freezing and thawing of winter.

Once you have the basics down, monitor your containers, protect them from pests and diseases, give them good care, and they will reward you with season-long beauty.

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