Growing Plants from Seed: Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
Karen The tall spires of hollyhocks are always a welcome sight but especially in cottage gardens where they evoke a nostalgia for times past. Hollyhock is a native of China and…
Weeds and Their Control: Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris
Puncturevine, also known as goatshead and devil’s thorn, is an annual that is very widespread in the world and US but is especially adapted to growing in dry climates such…
Growing Plants from Seed:Snapdragon (Anthirrhinum major)
Snapdragons are tender perennials that are usually grown as annuals. They need cool temperatures to grow well and are usually planted in the spring in USDA zone 7 and north,…
Collecting Seed: Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana)
Spider flower is an annual native to southern South America but grown widely in the US for the large unusual flowerheads that feature long stamens that give a spider web…
Collecting Seed: Snapdragon (Anthirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons are tender perennials usually treated as annuls. They are cool weather plants and often grown in the spring and fall as they do not do well in summer heat.…
Weeds and Their Control: Mulberry Weed (Fatoua villosa)
Mulberry weed is an annual in the mulberry family (Moraceae) and a native of East Asia where it lives in wetlands and other moist shaded areas. It appeared in Lousiana…
Growing Plants from Seed: Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
Zinnia are warm weather annuals native to Central America, Mexico, and southwestern US. They are grown for their intensely colored flowers which are held singly on long stems. Flowers may…
Growing Plants from Seeds: Hardening Off Seedlings
Hardening is the term used to describe the process of gradually exposing young seedlings grown indoors to the rigors of outdoor living in the garden. When plants are grown in…
Growing Plants from Seed: Basil
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual native to India but is more closely associated with Italian food. Most basils available in the US belong to the species basciliucum with…
Weeds and Their Control: Pilewort (Erechtites hieraciifolius )
Also called burnweed and fireweed, pilewort is a summer annual native to the Americas but has been spread around the world. As the name implies, the plant profits from fire…