エキナセアパープレアは、2〜3フィートの高さに成長する多年生植物です。それらはしばしば根の分裂によって繁殖しますが、種子から同じように簡単に始められます。 Plants started from seed will bloom in October the first year and in July thereafter.
Plant echinacea in full sun to shade in fertile loamy soil, although they will grow in clay or sandy soil. They are relatively drought-resistant but will show signs of wilting if the soil becomes excessively dry.
Divide the plants by digging up and dividing the roots every 4 to 5 years.
Purple coneflowers attract a variety of different bees and butterflies. Goldfinches eat the mature seeds in early fall. Their pointy seed heads add a unique component to dried flower arrangements.
Native Americans treated everything from toothaches to colds to minor cuts, wounds, and burns. Rather than using the plant’s parts to make a healing tea, they chewed the roots, or the foliage was mashed up and made into a salve.
European settlers adopted the plant for medicinal purposes until it fell out of use in the 1930s. It has been re-discovered in recent years primarily as a cold and flu preventative, although its medicinal uses are far more extensive than that.
The juice of the roots was mixed with water and sprinkled on hot coals in traditional Native American “sweat lodges” for purification purposes. It is regarded today as an antibiotic and blood purifier that builds up the immune system. Some claim it provides immunity to a host of non-specific diseases.
Scientific research has not yet determined the exact compounds in purple coneflower that give it medicinal properties.まだ、 a long history of use in traditional folk medicine suggests that it is, 実際には、 effective as a medicinal herb.
15. Petunias – Flowers for Garden Beds and Containers
Petunias are among the most popular flowers in urban home gardens, landscaped parks, and public areas everywhere. They are also featured in containers and hanging baskets in cities all over the country.
Petunias are also one of the newest garden flowers. They are native to South America and didn’t become well-known until the last part of the 19th century. It wasn’t until the 20th century that plant breeders began to select and breed them into the modern varieties we know today.
Petunias are collectively referred to today as Petunia x hybrida. They are thought to be a cross between Petunia axillaris (the night-scented white petunia) and Petunia integrifolia (a small violet-flowered variety). Petunias belong to the Solanaceae family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco.
New classes of varieties of petunias have continued to be released, with the latest big addition in the early 1990s. There are now four main classes of petunias, suited to various uses, from garden specimens to ground covers to those with pendulous habits that cascade over the edges of window boxes or hanging baskets.
These classes of petunias include groundcover or “spreading” petunias, Grandiflora petunias, multiflora petunias, and multiflora petunias. Here’s a short description of each:
Grandiflora petunias. These produce large flowers that are at least three inches across and sometimes larger. They come in single- or ruffled double-flowered varieties. Most are upright plants that develop into large, foot-high mounds of flowers.
Groundcover or “spreading” petunias. This variety grows to only about 6 inches high but spread rapidly to cover an extensive area in a single growing season. They will quickly cover several square feet and are ideal for use in hillside gardens where quick coverage is important. These spreading varieties are stunningly planted in hanging baskets or window boxes because they cascade 2 to 3 feet over the edge of the container.
Milliflora petunias. These are compact, miniature plants producing large quantities of small perfect flowers that are only 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. They are perfect for the front of the flower border or in containers, especially those near the entrances of buildings, where you can enjoy the flowers up close.
Multiflora petunias. This variety has the same growth habit as grandifloras, but they are more compact plants with small but more numerous flowers. Their flowers can be single or double, but the majority of varieties are single. They make an eye-catching display massed together in a single color in the garden.
Petunias need at least six hours of sun a day to produce the abundant blooms for which they’re famous. They will grow in partial shade but will produce fewer flowers. In the Deep South and the Southwest, petunias will be happier in partial shade.
16. Hollyhocks – Old Fashioned Favorite
Hollyhocks are one of those charming old-fashioned flowers grown by our grandmothers. They deserve a place in modern flower gardens, if only for their unusual upright habit that stands out among bushier perennials.
Native to Asia, it is thought that they are one of the oldest flowers in cultivation, grown by the ancient Chinese. Hollyhocks have been found in Stone Age burial sites.
They derive their name from the Old English holi (holy) and hokke (mallow). Another early name for the plant is “St. Cuthbert’s cole.”
The leaves were formerly used as potherbs or in salads, best collected in the cool of early winter.
Most hollyhocks are classified as biennials, but a few perennial varieties and even a couple of annual varieties. The perennials are short-lived, けれど、 often only living 2 to 3 seasons. They self-seed readily and will reappear in the garden even years after removing the mother plants.
Sow seeds of hollyhocks in mid to late summer. The plants will return in spring and bloom the following summer. They like full sun and moist, リッチ、 水はけの良い土壌。 Barely cover the seeds and keep them moist until they germinate. Cover the small plants before consistent freezing weather sets in.
Hollyhocks are susceptible to rust, and indeed it is the most often heard complaint about them. Removing the two lowest leaves shortly after they appear sometimes helps keep the rust from attacking them. You may be able to contain the rust to the lower leaves even if it does appear. Another option is to plant shorter flowers near them to hide the rust-infected lower leaves.
Water from below and provide plants with a lot of space in which to grow and breathe. Treat plants with fungicide if you cannot tolerate looking at the rust. These measures will sometimes keep rust from attacking. If it does appear, remove the affected leaves and put them in the trash. Do not add to the compost pile.
Hollyhocks are sometimes found growing on abandoned farms or along roadsides. They also make good additions to cottage-style gardens. They grow to heights ranging from one foot up to nine feet. The taller ones work great in the back of the flower garden, and the shorter varieties can be tucked in wherever the look of their spikes is desired.
17. Sunflowers – Stately Giants of the Garden
Sunflowers are native to the Americas and have been cultivated for over 4, 000年。 They were a major food source for the indigenous population and were even used medicinally.
Botanically called Helianthus from the Greek helios, meaning sun, and Anthus, meaning flower, sunflowers were adopted as a major crop by the Russians. Sunflower oil stays liquid at lower temperatures than animal fats, which was advantageous in their cold climate.
Victorians fell madly for sunflowers and used their likeness in art and architecture. Early American pioneers pounded the stalks to extract the fibers. The stalks were also used as kindling, and the seedless hulls were compressed into fire logs.
Plant sunflowers in mid-spring about 1 to 2 weeks before the date of your average last frost. They need full sun and aren’t overly fussy about soil fertility, although they benefit from a side dressing of compost.
Thin the seedlings, so the plants stand 12 to 18 inches apart, depending on the size of the variety at maturity. Many varieties will first produce a large basal flower and then branch out to produce many smaller blooms after the basal flower is cut. Some varieties naturally branch out, producing many smaller flowers.
Hybridizers have been busy, and sunflowers now come in various sizes and many colors in the yellow/gold/orange/rust family. They are spectacularly planted in various heights and colors as a theme garden.
Sunflowers reseed themselves prolifically and will come up every year, even if you don’t want them to. It goes without saying that small wildlife, such as birds and squirrels find them irresistible.
If you want to harvest the seeds for snacks or for planting next year, cover the flowers with a paper lunch bag when the seeds begin to ripen.さもないと、 the local livestock will completely devour your sunflower crop.
The blooms of sunflowers turn to follow the sun’s path, beginning in the east in the morning and continuing throughout the day. They are one of the few flowers that follow this peculiar practice.
By all means, cut them and use them in bouquets. Their bright, cheery colors look good in any decor.
18. Sweet Peppers Shine in Summertime Garden
Fresh summertime sweet peppers are plentiful at supermarkets and farmer’s markets everywhere. Their bright colors beckon you to look, smell, and buy them.
Sweet peppers are known scientifically as Capsicum annum and are members of the nightshade family. They are usually plump and bell-shaped, featuring either 3 or 4 lobes, although other sweet peppers are more tapered and have no lobes.
The four different types of sweet peppers are bell, banana, cubanelle, and pimento. Like their hot relatives, they also originated in the Americas. The word “chile” is from an Aztec word, “nahuatl, ” although aboriginal South Americans called it “aji.” Archeological evidence shows that Peruvians have been eating wild peppers since about 7000 BC and have cultivated them since approximately 6100 BC.
Start sweet peppers from seed indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the average date of your last spring frost—Harden off before transplanting to the garden, which should be done when you transplant your tomatoes. Sweet peppers will not grow well in cold, wet soil and do not grow when nighttime temperatures dip below 50°.
Space pepper plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart. For intensive spacing, plant 14 to 18 inches apart in all directions. Side dress with granulated fertilizer when planting and add a scoop of compost to the planting hole. Peppers thrive in well-drained fertile soil and need consistent moisture. Apply liquid fertilizer after the first round of infant peppers have set and continue to fertilize weekly throughout the growing season.
All peppers need consistent moisture to set fruit. Lack of this or drought can cause blossoms or even infant fruits to drop off the plant. Hot, dry winds and soil can prevent the fruit from forming in the first place.
If you are a smoker, wash your hands before handling pepper plants. It is possible to transmit the tobacco mosaic disease (if present in your cigarette tobacco) to your garden sweet peppers, as they are both members of the nightshade family.
Stuffed peppers are one of the most popular ways to serve summer’s bounty of fresh sweet peppers. Most cultures have their own recipes, but all usually feature a filling of rice and some type of meat or protein, along with their favorite herbs and spices. Many other recipes use peppers in many creative ways. Their use as an integral component in recipes has become almost as commonplace as onions and garlic.
Within 50 years of being brought back to Spain, sweet (and hot) peppers spread throughout Europe and the Mediterranean region. Soon after that, Portuguese explorers had successfully introduced peppers to Africa, インド、 Southeast Asia, 中国、 and Japan.
Sweet peppers are one of the most widely used vegetables/seasonings in the world.
19. Rainbow Swiss Chard – Fresh Greens for Summer
Swiss chard is a green that grows well during the hot summer months, usually without turning bitter. Any bitterness will only be in the mature outer leaves and disappears when they are cooked. When sweltering summer weather passes, the large outer leaves will lose their bitterness, and they’ll begin to grow sweet and succulent again.
Thought to originate in Sicily, the original varieties of Swiss chard had white stems.まだ、 new varieties have been developed in recent years with stems of bright colors, such as the rainbow Swiss chard in the photo at right. Even the leaves can have a slight purple tinge.
Swiss chard was originally called “Swiss” because seed catalogs in the 19th century wanted to distinguish it from French spinach. Botanically it is called Beta vulgaris flavescens and is a member of the same family as beets. Essentially it’s a beet without a root.
Plant Swiss chard, rainbow or otherwise, in mid to late spring. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep and an inch apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. When the young plants are about three inches high, thin to stand about 4 to 6 inches apart, plant them 6 to 8 inches apart in all directions for intensive spacing. It’s not overly fussy about the fertility of the soil.
If you’re a lazy gardener (like me), Swiss chard will be a good friend to your garden. It withstands neglect and will even grow during droughts.
You can start harvesting leaves of any size. You can add tender young leaves to salads or stir-fries. You should cut larger, more mature leaves from the outside of the plant, and the new leaves at the center of the plant should be left to mature.
Swiss chard will even grow in partial shade and still produce a respectable crop. It survives temperatures down into the ’20s. Even if the leaves outside the plant freeze, the inner leaves will still be intact and edible.
The entire plant is edible, but the stems need a longer cooking time than the leaves.興味深いことに、 American cooks primarily use the leaves, and European cooks primarily use the stems. I use the entire plant.
The stems have the texture of cooked celery and should, 実際には、 be cooked similarly. The leaves can be substituted in virtually any recipe calling for spinach, with a slightly longer cooking time.
20. Plant Peas for Fall Harvests
Late summer is the time to start planting for fall harvests. Now is the time to plant vegetables that prefer to mature during cool weather.
Plant Pisum sativum—the English garden type along with edible-podded snow and snap varieties—in early to mid-August for harvesting in mid to late September.
Plant peas in between the rows of corn in your garden. The corn will mature and be harvested long before the peas need the room. Another good place to plant fall peas is where lettuce or other greens were growing. These leafy crops deplete supplies of available nitrogen in the soil, and the roots of peas “fix” nitrogen into the soil.
This is a complicated scientific process that I’m not qualified to explain. Suffice it to say that it works. Once the plants are finished producing, leave their roots in the ground, and they will release the captured nitrogen into the soil, where it can be used by other plants that you subsequently grow in the same area.
When planting peas for fall, plant them almost twice as deep as spring-planted peas. This will help keep the seeds cool and also from drying out before they germinate. In any case, keep them well-watered to avoid overstressing them and also mulch the soil to keep it cool.
Space the seeds about two inches apart and thin the seedlings to about four inches apart when they’re three inches high.
Snap peas and Oriental snow peas grow tall enough to require some support for them to climb upon. English garden peas only grow about 12 to 18 inches high and do not need such support.
The blossoms and new growth shoots of pea vines are also edible.実際には、 the seedlings that you thin are completely edible. Simply pinch off the roots and toss them into a salad or stir-fry.
Check your pea vines daily once they start producing. Edible podded peas are best eaten when the peas inside are just starting to swell. English garden peas, traditionally eaten when plump and succulent, can quickly become tough and woody if left too long on the vines.
When freezing weather kills off the vines, leave the roots in the soil. By spring, they will be nearly completely decomposed and ready to plant a crop that likes rich, well-fertilized soil, トマトなど、 キュウリ、 or melons.
21. Dusty Miller Adds Fuzzy Texture to Flower Garden
Dusty Miller has grown annually in much of the temperate zones, but it’s technically a perennial. In Zone 7 and warmer, it will survive winters and is often planted with pansies in winter flower gardens.
You can find Dusty Miller available in several cultivars under the Latin name Senecio cineraria. The first name, Senecio, comes from the Latin “senex, ” which means old man. The second name, cineraria, means ashy gray in Latin.
A more finely leafed variety is excellent to use in hanging baskets or any container. The lacy foliage really stands out when viewed up close.
Plant them in among your flowers for a shimmering backdrop to their bright colors. Dusty Miller prefers full sun to part shade so that you can plant them among virtually all blooming plants.
Native to the Mediterranean, Dusty Miller prefers sandy, 水はけの良い土壌。 This is one member of the flower border that can withstand drought. It is excellent planted in window boxes that are beneath the eaves of your house and therefore do not receive much natural rainfall.
It isn’t bothered by many pests except the occasional aphid, which can be washed off with a strong spray from the hose. Do this on a cloudy day, so the fuzz on the leaves doesn’t get burned by the sun.
You can start them from seed indoors about eight weeks before your last spring frost, but they’re also widely available in spring as bedding plants. Space them 8 to 10 inches apart, and they will quickly grow to cover the area.
Their lacy, shimmery, gray foliage makes ideal plants to add to a white garden. Planted near patios or terraces, their soft gray color reflects nighttime exterior lights for a magical effect after dark.
22. Zinnias Come in All Sizes and Colors
Zinnias are native to the American Southwest and Mexico. They are members of the Asteraceae family. Its cultivars number in the hundreds since breeding and hybridizing begin in the 19th century.
The more familiar species is Zinnia elegans, which includes most Zinnia cultivars, including double-flowered types that grow from one to three feet high. Zinnia linearis grows into a smaller, bushier plant and usually has single flowers. It is also more resistant to powdery mildew than Z. elegans. Hybrids between the two species show this resistance on plants that have traits of both parents.
Zinnias are one of the most popular seeds planted in school gardening projects. The seeds are large enough for little fingers to handle easily, and they germinate and grow quickly, blooming within a couple of months of sowing.
You can get a jump on the season by starting zinnias indoors under lights about 4 to 6 weeks before the average date of your last spring frost. Harden off plants gradually and transplant them into the garden.結局、 the danger of frost is past when you plant your tomatoes outdoors.
Zinnias like full sun and soil rich in organic matter but loose and friable with good drainage. Their native home is in sandy soil, and they will not grow in heavy clay soils.
The scourge of zinnias is powdery mildew. All varieties can show signs of the disease, with those in the variety Zinnia linearis a little less susceptible. Space the plants the maximum distance recommended for the type you are growing. Don’t water afternoon as this lessens the chance of the foliage being wet after sundown.もし可能なら、 don’t water with an overhead sprinkler.
Remember to deadhead your zinnias by removing faded flowers, and they will continue to bloom until killed by frost. They are often one of the last flowers whose blooms still look good when other annuals have faded.
Zinnias make wonderful cut flowers. They last for a long time, and their wide range of colors makes them compatible with most other flower varieties.
The small varieties looked charming cut with short stems and placed in tiny vases or antique china teacups. Set them in unexpected places throughout the house.
23. Hydrangeas Can Change from Pink to Blue
Hydrangeas are those large, bush-type perennials with giant flower heads in either white, ピンク、 or blue. They’re also called “mophead” or “lacecap.”
Fossil records show that hydrangeas grew in North America between 40 and 70 million years ago and about 25 million years ago in Asia.
They bloom in mid to late summer and keep their flowers long after their leaves drop off in fall. The flowers looked spectacular on the plants for winter interest in the garden or cut and dried for indoor flower arrangements.
Plant hydrangeas in full sun to partial shade in moist, リッチ、 loamy soil that is well-drained. Add generous amounts of compost when transplanting and top dress with compost every spring.
The name “hydrangea” comes from the Greek words hydro (water) and angeion (vase) or “water vase.” The name doesn’t refer to the flowers; it refers to the shape of the seed capsule.
Hydrangeas are unusual in that you can change the color of their flowers by changing the pH of the soil in which they grow.
To make hydrangeas flowers pink like the ones in the photo above, raise the pH of their soil. Do this by adding dolomitic lime to the soil several times a year (available at garden supply stores). Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for correct quantities and add that amount to the soil around each plant in spring, 夏、 そして落ちる。
Another thing to do to keep your hydrangeas blooming pink is to use a high phosphorus fertilizer (the second number on the fertilizer label—for example, 10-15-10).
If blue hydrangeas are what you are after, add aluminum sulfate (a soil additive available at garden supply stores) to the soil they are growing. Mix 1 tablespoon aluminum sulfate with one gallon of water and apply a half-gallon of this mixture to the soil around each plant.
注意： water your hydrangeas well the day before you do this so the roots can more easily take up the aluminum sulfate without getting burnt. Apply the aluminum sulfate mixture to the soil in spring, 夏、 そして落ちる。
To help keep your hydrangeas blooming blue, use a low phosphorus fertilizer (the second number on the fertilizer label) and high in potassium (the third number on the fertilizer label).例えば、 use a fertilizer labeled 25-5-30. Avoid using superphosphates or bone meal if trying for blue hydrangeas.
If your best efforts to turn hydrangeas either pink or blue result in them turning the opposite color, the culprit is most likely your water. Water with a high pH will tend to produce pink hydrangeas; conversely, water with a lower pH will produce blue hydrangeas—both despite soil amendments to the contrary.
ついに、 hydrangeas planted near a concrete foundation or walk will tend to bloom pink because of the considerable amount of lime leaching out of the concrete, which raises the pH of the soil.
One last note on changing the color of hydrangeas:white hydrangeas will always be white and cannot be changed to pink or blue.
Read also:Flowers and Plants for Northern Gardens
24. Lily Varieties Bloom from Summer till Fall
Lilies come in several different varieties with blooming times from midsummer through early fall. Plant some of each variety for a continuous supply of blooms throughout the growing season.
Although you can plant lily bulbs in spring, fall is the best time for planting as it gives them time to develop a strong root system before breaking into vegetative growth the following spring. Potted lilies in active growth can be planted in your garden at any time during the growing season.
Lilies are grown from bulbs with fleshy overlapping scales with no protective covering. Plant them soon after purchasing and don’t allow them to dry out.
Plant them in well-drained soil in a site where water does not stand after rainfall. Dig down 12 inches and remove rocks. Add peat moss and compost to improve the soil and help with drainage. According to the manufacturer’s recommended quantities, add a little bone meal to the bottom of the hole and scratch it in with your garden claw.
A pleasing way to display lilies in the perennial garden is to plant them in groups of three or five bulbs, spacing the individual bulbs 8 to 12 inches apart. Space the groupings 3 to 5 feet apart. Small bulbs should be planted 2 to 4 inches deep and larger ones 4 to 6 inches deep, as measured from the top of the bulb up to the surface.
Spread organic mulch-like cocoa hulls over the bed. Just before the ground freezes for the winter, add a layer of protective mulch of evergreen boughs, hay, or fallen leaves.
Asiatic lilies start the lily season when they bloom around midsummer. The picture above is of Asiatic lilies blooming right now in Zone 4. Most types of flowers face upward and have few markings on the petals—Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Trumpet lilies begin blooming at midsummer. They are named for their trumpet-shaped flowers and are hardy in Zones 5 to 9.
Tiger lilies bloom from midsummer on. They have freckled, pendulous blooms with petals that curve back on themselves. They multiply prolifically and will form large clumps in a few years. Each stem produces many flowers in warm colors, from golden yellow to orange, to red—Hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
Rubrum lilies bloom in late summer to early fall. They resemble Tiger lilies but come in cool colors from white to deep pink. Their blooms are sweetly fragrant—Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Oriental lilies start blooming in late July, with some varieties not coming into bloom until late August or September. They are intensely fragrant with flowers up to 10 inches across—Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Orienpet lilies are a cross between an Oriental and a Trumpet lily. They bloom from mid to late July into mid-August and can reach eight feet high. Flowers come in both warm and cool shades, with some varieties extremely fragrant. They prefer dappled sunlight or morning sun with afternoon shade—Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Plant a variety of lilies, so you have a continuous supply of blooms from midsummer through fall.
25. Honeysuckle – Prolific Vines and Fragrant Blooms
Honeysuckle vines, belonging to the Lonicera species, are easy to grow, heat-tolerant, vigorous, and nearly indestructible. They are commonly used to climb up a trellis, フェンス、 or another framework. Less well-known is their use as a ground cover for erosion control.
Said to protect your garden from evil, honeysuckle is known as the “love bind” because it symbolizes a lover’s embrace with its clinging growth habit.
They prefer full sun but will tolerate partial shade. They are drought-resistant once established and only need supplemental fertilizer in early spring and again at midsummer.
Plant honeysuckle in early spring, when all danger of frost has passed. Prepare the planting area by adding peat moss and compost. Dig the soil to a depth of about 6 to 8 inches. Mulch well after planting. Honeysuckle like their leaves in the sun and their roots in the cool shade.
Prune for shape after they finish blooming but only prune lightly until the vines are in their third growing season.
Aphids love honeysuckle, and you’ll need to be vigilant in washing them off with a strong spray from your hose.
Notorious for its sweet scent, honeysuckle vines attract both bees and hummingbirds, who feast on the nectar deep within their elongated blossoms.
Honeysuckle will climb up anything with just a little help from you. Get the vines started climbing by loosely tying them to their supporting structure. They will soon grow and fill it in so much that the supporting structure will virtually disappear.
Folklore tells us that if you bring honeysuckle into your house, there will soon be a wedding. And if you sleep with a sprig of it under your pillow, you will dream sweet dreams.
Of your impending nuptials, no doubt.
26. Lupines Are A Beautiful, Versatile Flower
Spring blooming lupines, Lupinus albus, were cultivated 4, 000 years ago by the Egyptians. In the Americas, Lupinus mutabilis were brought into cultivation 1, 500 years ago.
Although we think of lupines as flowers, they are grown as feed for livestock in many parts of the world. Because they grow well on poor, sandy soils and, 実際には、 improve the soil, lupines are often grown for soil improvement and followed by a more demanding crop, such as melon, corn, or wheat.
Romans used them medicinally for skin ailments and as an antidote for the bite of an asp, although there is no data on the latter’s effectiveness.
Lupines prefer slightly acidic soil that is well-drained and moderately fertile. They do best in full sun but will grow in partial shade.
Sow annual lupines from seed around the time of your last frost. They will bloom about two months later.
Perennial lupines are best sown from seed in autumn. Soak the seeds in warm water for a day before sowing. They will bloom in mid-spring. You can also start plants indoors about eight weeks before consistent frost-free weather in your area. Plant outside. After all danger of frost is past.
Space lupines about 10 to 12 inches apart. Water regularly and fertilize with a high phosphorous, low nitrogen fertilizer. (In other words, a low first and a high second number, such as a fertilizer labeled 5-25-10.)
Lupines come in blue, 紫の、 ピンク、 黄、 と白。 They will bloom over and over if you deadhead them by cutting off faded flowers.
Pliny, the Greek writer, and physician claim that the smoke of burnt lupines kills gnats.
I wonder if it works on mosquitoes.
27. Ornamental Salvia Grows Where It Wants To
Salvia is a popular flowering plant for urban gardens. With a combination of over 700 annual and perennial species, there’s a type of salvia out there for everyone.
They can prolifically reseed themselves, like the ones in the photo at left. These are growing in the cut-out area of a sidewalk around the installation of a telephone pole. They most likely blew in from the cultivated salvia growing in a flower bed a couple of houses down the street.
Although I don’t know the variety of this particular salvia, it is most likely one of the tender perennial varieties treated as annuals in temperate regions.
Salvia does best in full sun.明らかに、 they’re not fussy about their soil, only that it should be well-drained.
If you’re planting salvia, you can direct seed it right in the garden in late spring. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil. Do not cover; press them in gently with your hand. Mist lightly after you plant them and then mist daily to keep them moist until they germinate.
You can also propagate them by root division, which is best done in spring.
They’re also one of the most popular bedding plants found at garden centers and farmer’s markets every spring.
Space salvia 10 to 20 inches apart, depending on the size at maturity of the variety you’re planting.
Although the red variety of salvia is often planted, the purple variety provides a cool contrast to the hot reds, オレンジ、 and yellows of most summer-blooming flowers. And it reseeds itself.
28. Pine and Evergreen – Prune in June
In Minneapolis today, workers hoisted the last steel beam to the top of the new baseball stadium.
Attached to the steel beam was a pine tree.
The tradition goes back some 1200 years to the Vikings (somehow appropriate). Scandinavian builders topped off their buildings with a sheaf of grain for the horse of their beloved god, Odin. For his part, Odin was so pleased with this that he bestowed good luck on the future occupants.
As the Vikings spread throughout (conquered) Europe, they brought their topping off practice with them. Britons and Germans substituted trees for the grain, and interestingly enough, the Scandinavians eventually switched to using a tree.
The tradition was brought to America by Scandinavian ironworkers, who promptly added an American flag.最終的、 it became common for the workers to sign the beam before you set it in place.
Not only does raising a pine tree commemorate the building to the highest point of the structure, but it also celebrates doing so without serious injury to the workers.
Pine and evergreen have long symbolized hope to humanity. During the cold, 暗い、 seemingly lifeless winter days, the pine and evergreen remain green and look alive.
ほとんどの場合、 pine trees do not need pruning. If you do prune a pine, don’t remove whole branches; the tree may never recover.例えば、 if a branch is growing into a path, cut a few inches off the tip rather than the entire branch.
Evergreen shrubs and small trees are often pruned to maintain their size and shape in the landscape. June is the ideal time for this.
また、 prune sparingly. Only prune off the tips of the branches. If it is necessary to remove an entire branch, do not cut it off flush with the main trunk. Leave a quarter-inch stump.
If you have a large pine or evergreen which has overgrown its space and you’re tempted to cut off the bottom branches, do the tree and yourself a favor and have the tree removed.
Cutting off the lower branches of an evergreen removes the lowest level of support for snow-filled branches.最終的、 starting at the bottom, the remaining branches will break under the weight of the snow.
Remove the tree and plant something that loves acid soil, like blueberries or rhododendrons.
Blueberries taste a lot better than pine cones anyway.
29. Zucchini – There’s No Stopping Them
I captured a zucchini blossom this morning on a plant that’s barely bigger than a transplant. It’s actually the second one that opened. I missed the first flower—you can see it wilted in the background in the photo at left.
ズッキーニ、 come on like gangbusters, and don’t let up until the weather cools in fall. Stories of grocery bags filled with zucchini that were left on neighbor’s doorsteps were circulating in the neighborhood a few years back, but no one came forward as the alleged recipient.
All squash are native to the Americas, but zucchini is a mutant or sport that originated in Italy. Its name comes from the Italian zucchino, which means “little squash.” Botanists called it Cucurbita pepo, a member of the same family as cucumbers and melons. In the United Kingdom and New Zealand, zucchini is referred to as “courgette, ” while Australians and Americans call it “zucchini.”
Whatever you call it, you have to call it versatile. You can serve zucchini cooked or raw, sweet or savory. Zucchini is grilled, fried, deep-fried, stuffed, or baked with an endless variety of spices and seasonings. And virtually everything you can do with the fruit of zucchini you can do with the blossom.
実際には、 one of the ways you can “temper” the amount of zucchini your plants produce is to harvest the blossoms. Stuff them, dip them in tempura batter and deep fry them. Bake them. Put them raw into salads. Use them as a filling for quesadillas.
Sometimes you can find a perfect zucchini blossom still attached to the tiny zucchini fruit at its base. These are much sought after by gourmets and pricey restaurants.
You grow zucchini the same way you grow cucumbers. Plant them in late spring.結局、 the danger of frost has passed. Plant five or six seeds in “hills” of soil. When the plants are about two inches high, thin to the strongest two or three plants, this is best used for “bush” varieties of zucchini, which form a compact bush-like plant.
For varieties of zucchini that grow into a vine, it’s best to grow them vertically. Zucchini will climb a vertical trellis or net with just a little help from you. Vertical growing keeps the plants off the ground and makes it easier to see the fruits.
Make sure to harvest zucchini every day. Pick fruits before they reach six inches in length when they are the most tender and flavorful. If you miss a few and get a little large, peel them, seed them, grate them, and make zucchini bread. Or add a couple of cups of grated zucchini to any chocolate cake recipe.
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But try to resist leaving them on your neighbor’s doorstep.
