But then came graduate school in Vermont, where not only did it snow every winter, but plants I hadn’t seen before in Montana popped up along with the snow and cold. Plants like winterberry holly bushes, bare-branched except for jewel-like clusters of bright berries hanging on well into January, February, and even March. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Because of its popularity, the daylily is available in a staggering array of colors and growing habits. They’re forgiving of most forms of maltreatment and thrive on minimal attention. Establishing and growing daylilies is an excellent starting project for the beginner, and finding a unique or quirky hybrid species is a feather in the hat for more experienced gardeners. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Dent corn (Zea mays var. indentata) is what my partner’s abuela grows in a field in Mexico, harvests, dries, and then nixtamalizes and dries again, to turn it into masa harina to make the softest, most flavorful tortillas imaginable. This maize isn’t usually eaten in its milk stage, like sweet corn. Instead, the dent variety shines as a cornmeal base for a bevy of delicious dishes. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. What is Cardamom? Cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of two different species in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. The spice is made from the seeds which are found in small, thin pods. The pods have triangular cross section and a paper-like outer covering....

There is another type of hibiscus that has been slowly gaining in popularity in more northern climates for over 100 years now, and breeders have been expanding selections continuously through that time. The term “hardy hibiscus” generally refers to a few different species and their hybrids, in the rose mallow group within the Malvaceae family, that are closely related – to the extent that they can crossbreed. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

But I think this humble woody herb deserves a lot more love than it has gotten. These days, it’s finally gaining the recognition it deserves as an ingredient, not only in desserts but to flavor savory dishes, as well. As a result, it’s popping up in more and more home herb gardens – not to mention on many restaurant menus and in their gardens out back. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

It’s always tucked next to the broccoli and cauliflower at the grocery store, and every time my young son and I walk by it, we can’t help but stop and stare at its intricate swirls and whorls. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. But what is Romanesco broccoli exactly? Is it even broccoli?...

If you’re anything like me, you are walking through your garden every day, impatiently awaiting the moment you can harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You see those greens growing, and perhaps the bulbs beneath expanding. But when is the right time to harvest? And what can you do with all this rutabaga once you do pick it from the earth? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

Daisies as a group are garden favorites. The Shasta variety is no exception, and not only for its big bloomed, beautiful looks. This perennial is sturdy, easy to grow, and very versatile. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Ready to add Shasta daisies to your garden? Here’s what I’ll cover: Cultivation and History Shasta daisy is a member of the Asteraceae or aster family, a group noted for its starburst-shaped flowers....

From borders to vegetable gardens, my neighbors never seemed to suffer the problems that I did. Messy, weedy vegetable patch, borders a little tatty. It’s ”permaculture,” I used to say. But it’s not. It’s simply that I don’t have time to invest in making my garden prettier. Until I discovered mulching. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

No, it’s nothing to do with disco. Rather, it’s that name that means “always living” when translated from Latin. These succulents, with many varieties suitable for home gardens that are commonly called hens and chicks or houseleeks, certainly live up to the Latin genus name. They’re perennials that will last at least two or three years before the “hens” bloom and then die – leaving numerous offset “chicks” behind to keep on growing....

Each berry weighs around 7-8 grams, which is heavy for the fruit of a brambly Rubus plant. For comparison, a typical blackberry weighs 5-7 grams, and a raspberry averages 3-5 grams. Both of these berries, like the boysenberry, are part of the genus Rubus and members of the Rosaceae family – which also includes apple, peach, and almond trees, as well as roses. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

Collard greens in particular thrive in cold weather, which is lucky for me, since there isn’t much I enjoy more than sizzling up a pan of fresh homegrown collards in some garlic butter. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Will Frost Kill Collard Greens? Collards, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, are the most cold hardy of all the Brassica species....

They might be particularly prone to diseases, or maybe they’re typically disease-free but they’re kind of just blah. Not ‘Spartan,’ though – with this plant, I get it. One of the most popular juniper cultivars of all time, ‘Spartan’ is a best-seller for good reason. It’s gorgeous, healthy, hardy, evergreen, and maintenance-free. Practically perfect! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

In addition to its deliciously crisp bulbs, the plant produces large edible leaves that can be picked and prepared in a fashion similar to what you might like to do with kale or collards. The flavorful greens are tasty sauteed, steamed, or even eaten raw in salads. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Though growing blueberries at home isn’t for everyone, given the right conditions, this could be the perfect crop to add to areas of the garden with well-draining acidic soil (think: near the stand of pine trees) and full sun. Dwarf varieties can even be grown in containers on the patio. And pink or white flowers and colorful fall foliage adds ornamental garden interest as well. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

But if you think choosing just one variety to grow is going to be an easy task, you’ll quickly discover there are a lot more options than you might have guessed – and you’ll probably want to grow them all. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In this guide, we’ll help to make your choice a bit easier with our look at 13 of the best white peony varieties for the home garden, all of which have stood the test of time, some for more than 100 years....

The word amaryllis actually derives from the Greek amarysso or “to sparkle,” and this common name is certainly fitting. But what should you do when your plants lack their usual luster, and your decorative winter plants show signs of rot instead, with mushy crowns or collapsing foliage? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

You want them to be ready in time for Halloween, or maybe for a fun dinner party where all your guests pick their own homegrown pumpkins to take home with them. So what’s going on? How can you encourage your plants to produce fruit? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. 1. No Pollination The most likely reason why your healthy vines aren’t producing fruit is that the female flowers aren’t being pollinated....

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. But first, let’s get some idea of how to maximize success when growing figs in chilly weather. Most fig trees will thrive unprotected in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10. The cold-hardy varieties can withstand winters in Zones 6 and 7, but they will require some protection. Tips for Growing Figs in Cold Weather After you choose the cold-hardy variety you would like to plant, the next important factor is site selection....