Growing Rosemary
There are so many reasons why growing rosemary is essential in a garden, the simplest being that once established, rosemary is an easy to grow, extremely good smelling and edible shrub! Rosemary can grow up to several feet in height and can be hedged to fill hard to grow spots, tall background borders and rustic areas in gardens. It’s the perfect sun lover and is listed by the Farmers Almanac as a perennial in US zones 7 and up. Throw in all of the edible and medicinal values of rosemary and it’s easy to understand why growing rosemary is an essential herb.
Growing Rosemary from Seed
There are a few ways to start rosemary plants; one can use seeds, cuttings or established plants from a nursery or garden center. Although rosemary is a super strong, hardy and vigorous plant once established, starting from seed is actually the more difficult way to acquire one’s plants. Therefore, we shall start with seeds first.
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- It’s recommended to start rosemary seeds indoors or in a greenhouse a good 90 to 120 days before planting outside.
- Use small seed starter pots made from coconut husk soil or a good organic potting mix. Moisten the pods or soil mixed planters with water.
- Ensure the top layer is moist but not drowning. Shake the tiny rosemary seeds across the top of the soil surface.
- Rosemary is open air germinated so take care to not cover he seeds with soil. Simply press them on the soil gently and spray again with water to moisten the seeds. A quart water spray mister bottle is perfect for this stage of plant growth.
- Place moistened seeds in a warm bright window, greenhouse or lighted tent. Spray or mist with water daily ensuring seeds have a moist spot to germinate.
Once the babies reach about an inch tall, pot them up. Use large enough pots to ensure the roots are not disturbed and will enable the plants to grow a minimum of 90 days before they are migrated outdoors.
Weather and Soil
When migrating rosemary, consider the following:
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- Rosemary needs dry hot areas and once established to be left alone! Just come back every now and then for water and a good cut!
- Rosemary grows best in sandy loam soil. Clay ridden soil will be an issue as it holds water making it conducive to root rot. When faced with clay soil one will need to either modify the soil, move rosemary to another location, or consider them permanently potted.
Companion Plants
Companion planting is the process of joining plants in a way that enhances their natural abilities to thrive. Some of the best plants to grow with rosemary include:
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- Brassicas: Rosemary is a friend to brassica plants as its smell can confuse their predators . Therefore, always plant rosemary near cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Brussels, and any other plants in this wonderful family.
- Other plants that benefit when paired Rosemary include:
- Lavender, Thyme, Sage, Marigolds, Marjoram, Strawberries, Sunflowers, Rudbeckia
Cautionary plant combinations
Plant groupings one should avoid if possible; or, if necessary plan ahead ways to manage the challenges ensuring both plants thrive.
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- Mint: Mint needs shady moist spots; rosemary needs sunny dry spots. Right off the bat they do not get along.
- Basil: Basil loves the sun!! Yea! So why not basil and rosemary? Water of course. Basil loves the sun; yet, needs a consistently moist bed. Rosemary, yep.. must have dry soil!
- Other plants with the same conflicts include:Cucumbers, zinnias, tomatoes and any plant that loves moist hot conditions.
- Squash: Why? Powdery mildew. Squash and pumpkins or other plants in the squash family have a tendency for powdery mildew. Rosemary, although resistant to bugs, is prone to powdery mildew. Planting them together promotes situations where one or the other plants are consistently passing it back and forth.
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Next in works on this series
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- Growing rosemary from cuttings
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Growing Serranos
Growing Serrano peppers is a joy. These peppers are similar to a Jalapeno with a much longer thinner body and a bit of a hotter taste. Although, I have personally found the Serrano Chili's flavor to be smoother than the jalapeno, making the heat seem much milder. These shiny green peppers are also red or yellow or orange depending on how long they are left on the plant.
Serranos are simply a wonderful pepper for the garden one plant can provide as many as a 100 peppers in a season. They are also extremely easy to grow or pickle and can be used in any recipe where a jalapeno has traditionally been used.
Tips for Growing Serranos!
- Plant Serrano's after all fear of frost has passed; or, start indoors using a heat pad to ensure soil is warm for germination.
- Once planted outdoors use a well drained loamy soil with good organic matter and some compost. I use a bag of Black Cow Compost mixed in with the soil.
- Serrano's do best in full sun. In zones 7 and above it can get upwards of a hundred degrees and Serrano peppers do well even in the heat; so, plant them in a sunny spot.
- Water Serrano's once every three to four days very deeply rather than every day. This promotes strong roots that keeps them healthy even in harsh weather.
- Serrano's grow well with a little bit of used Coffee grinds once a month along with Epsom salt and Fish Emulsion sprayed on their leaves. I prefer Alaska Fish Emulsion .
- Plan accordingly for space with Serrano's making sure to allow 18 inches in between each plant for the leaves to spread.
- Plan to cage Serrano's or provide some type of staking as branches tend to get heavy when producing peppers.
Companion Plants
Marigolds, chives, garlic, onions, sunflowers, beans, tomatoes, corn, zinnias all grow well together with Serrano peppers!
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Amazingly Edible Sunflower
It's no secret I love Sunflowers. They’re on my fence, in my yard and make up about 60% of my tepees and arbors! However, let's talk about the amazingly edible sunflower plant! And not just seeds, all of the plant from the roots to the stalks to the leaves, petals and the seeds are edible. The majority of the entire sunflower can be eaten. It's quite amazing actually that most only know of the seeds; and, is the exact reason for this quick series starting with the leaves of the sunflower plants.
Let's Talk Sunflower Leaves!
Sunflower leaves are simply a joy to me. Why? They are so large, so strong and thick they are like pieces of leather on larger sunflower plants. They are beautiful to look at in a garden adding depth and color, texture and even height. The giant leaves add shade to plants on hot afternoons, helping to extend the lives of cold crops if grown above them. All of this is enough for one to love them. Imagine the excitement when discovering they’re also edible! I won't lie, sunflowers have a bite that's hard to explain; it's an extremely unique bitter flavor. Nutty in a way almost peppery as well. Lets look at ways to eat them!
Young Shoots
Young sunflower shoots are edible microgreens! Unlike their older siblings that get bitter with age, the microgreens are super soft, have a thick feel and at this point are actually sweet. Shoots are often grown in window gardens and used on salads and on sandwiches. Let some of the seeds fall each season and the yard will be so full there will be no issues sacrificing many of the babies to the microgreen category!
Tender Leaves
Tender leaves, those that are still young on soft stalks can be eaten raw in salads. The entire leaf can be eaten at this stage without removing the veins. Although, they actually taste slightly more bitter to me at this stage believe it or not, I prefer the mid adult leaves. One can soften the flavor some by removing the center vein of the leaf.
Large Adult Leaves
Large adult leaves can be cooked like greens, boiled, sauteed or steamed with salt, garlic and butter. The older they get the tougher they get and the longer they take to cook. When using the super large leaves, boiling first is best with a water refresh. I like to harvest the leaves in the mid range size prior to blooming. Once flowers bloom the leaves naturally start to die down.
I did say they are like the bitter lettuces, with a bite that leaves you wondering how to describe them. Serving with savory dishes compliments the bite of this beautiful green! They are also wonderful with mushrooms. The earthy flavor of mushrooms complements the greens well and they do great with fatty meats.
Here is a recipe for eating with fatty meats
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- 5 to 6 midsize Sunflower leaves
- 1 quarter purple onion
- 3 to 4 (or more if your like me 5) garlic cloves
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Crushed pepper
- Butter
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- Wash, remove the center and main side veins from the leaves. Add olive oil to pan and heat while dicing garlic and red onion. Add Onion and garlic to oil and saute until slightly brown on a low simmer
- While cooking garlic and onion boil water and blanch the greens until slightly soft and the water is a soft green. Drain greens and add to butter, garlic and online mix.
- Stir fry the greens for a moment coating them with the oil. Add a few tablespoons of water. Add pepper flakes and stir fry in.
- Steam well for a moment and then add a generous amount of balsamic vinegar. Lower heat and let simmer for another 10 minutes or so. If liquid evaporates add more vinegar!
- Once the leaves are stir fried and the liquid has evaporated some add butter to the pan and allow it to sizzle
Add salt and pepper and serve hot!
Dandelions
Why do so many people hate them? The dandelion I mean not the garden boots and clogs. They're from Western Chief and I have to believe all would agree they are pretty awesome. The dandelion however, is so dreaded by so many. One can find many a gentlemen in a fit if these little guys show up in their lawn.
Personally, one of my favorite sayings is, “I have a beautiful yard, yet, it's not a lawn.” Lawn weed killer of any kind will not be used in these back gardens. That means dandelions and many other unwanted plants full of goodness are finding their way into this space. The dandelion has become one of the favorites! It's hard to believe that we as a people work so hard annually to destroy something 100% free, 100% edible and so good for our health.
Why Would one Want Dandelions?
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- Dandelions are perennials, they return every single year with no help from humans at all. Not only that, in many places they are some of the first flowers one will see. That means they bring the bees! These babies are like a light to the little pollinators of the world shining brightly and saying, “here, come here to my yard spring has arrived!” And come they will!
- The entire Dandelion is edible. From the flowers, (which are super sweet actually no wonder the bees like them) to the stems and the roots. I have grown to love grazing on dandelion flowers. Since I know the yard is poison free they can be eaten just as any other plant grown in this space.
- The flowers go in almost all salads and the young greens with them. Which by the way are one of the bitters; and, bitters do wonders for our gut. They can be used to make wine or when unopened pickled like capers
- The roots are large and long (which is why they are so strong) and can be used dried or roasted for anything from coffee to medicine.
Relocating Plants
Relocating Plants
Growing Rudbeckia
Did you know the name Rudbeckia means encouragement and motivation? And if there is anything people may be needing right now it’s encouragement and motivation. Growing Rudbeckia is a joy; and, I always felt their name fits perfectly. The meaning of course just explains why one tends to feel so happy when they see them in a yard. With all of their brilliant yellow they are almost like mini suns, shining in corners and filling up sunny spots.
About Rudbeckia
There are around 25 different varieties of Rudbeckia; however, their most common name is black-eyed Susan or Becky’s. Black eyed Susan’s also come in different categories with petals that range from solid yellow, to slightly burnt orange, to extremely black or dark brown centers that spread out towards bright yellow tips. I love having all of them all around my yard.
Rudbeckia is similar to Echinacea in that their roots can be used in some home medicinal remedies. I hope to look further into this as spring comes closer! If there are plans to use ones Becky’s in medicinal remedies then consider growing several spots around the garden space. As well as planting them at different intervals. This ensures as the roots of one plant is being harvested several others are growing in their stead.
Growing Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia can be grown by seed or by division of established plants. Division is simpler as Rudbeckia seeds again, similar to Echinacea, need winters cold to germinate. If planting by seed sow in the fall when winter is just coming on. Doing this will ensure enough of a cold spell to germinate well when spring arrives.
Give Becky’s plenty of sun, and well drained soil. Deadhead them to promote more flowers or to stop them from spreading. Otherwise allow the seeds to fall and they will return each season naturally.
Companion Planting with Rudbeckia
There are so many plants that will grow well with Rudbeckia. Their flowers for sure bring the bees. Therefore, just having them in the garden supports any vegetables one grows. Some of my favorite plants to grow with Rudbeckia are:
- Zinnias
- Globe thistle
- Sedum
- Perennial hibiscus
- Echinacea
- Ornamental grasses
- Dill
- Basil
- Oregano
- Sunflowers
- Strawberries
- Squash
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Growing Corn: Sweet Corn
Biting into a bright yellow ear of corn tastes just like summer; fresh, crisp and sweet. I love sweet corn and can literally eat it like candy from the yard; so much so, I even assume when growing corn at least 30% of the yield will never make it in the house. It’s a snack I quickly grab while working in the garden, or a quick breakfast if I’m out early. This alone makes growing corn, sweet corn the perfect summer treat; and, like many others I simply feel growing corn in the backyard, allotment or kitchen garden cool!
Growing Corn: Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is the taste of summer because it only grows in the summer!
Corn needs the heat; and, it needs warm soil. Seeds will not germinate until the soil reaches between 55 and 70 degrees in the morning. Corn absorbs about 30% of its size in water. Absorbing cold water as its swelling can lead to various diseases reducing yield or killing the plant completely. Therefore if planning to start outside (which is best as corn has a shallow root system that does not like to be moved), ensure the last frost date has passed. If one is in a zone where they must start their seeds indoors to achieve the right time for harvest, use organic pots that can be planted in the ground to avoid moving the babies once they have established!
If one has 65 to 90 days, they can grow corn!
According to the University of Arkansas the average days to harvest for corn runs between 65 and 95 days. One should plan their start time based on their last frost date and how far along the plants need to be to ensure a solid harvest during the summer months. Visit “When to Start Seeds Indoors” for more information on the best start times for seeds!
Give corn a well draining spot and make sure the soil has lots of food and nutrients!
Corn needs well drained fertile soil and plenty of food to grow those gloriously sweet ears. Testing the soil lets one know for sure if there are serious issues to address; however, 2 steps work best for me, to ensure the corn crop is healthy.
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- Add fresh compost to the soil prior to planting. Add 1 bag of compost, Black Kow Compost is my preference, to about 20 feet of garden space. A good rule of thumb is: If the ground becomes hard where the compost is mixed in, too much has been added. Compost should enhance the existing soil, not overtake it.
- Mix in organic matter, i.e. used coffee grinds, leaves or dark rich topsoil if the soil is highly sandy.
Plan to feed plants with feed once they have set at least 3 to four leaves. Alaskan Fish Emulsion has worked wonders for my production spraying once a
Plant seeds in warm soil and within 12 inches apart
Plant seeds approximately 12 inches apart and approximately 1 ½ inches down. Soil must be warm in the morning before planting! Corn is wind pollinated versus bee pollinated. This implies a few things: 1: don’t plant corn where it will be blocked from wind! 2: There should be enough corn for at least two solid side by side rows. If only small amounts are being planted, use small squares versus long rows to ensure the corn is close enough together to achieve good pollination across plants.
Steady water and a good fish based fertilizer does wonders
Corn needs plenty of water; without it they will struggle to produce flavorful kernels. Water at least 1.5 inch per week, allowing the soil to dry slightly between watering. A good rule of thumb is if no moisture in in the soil greater than an inch down, water.
Companion Plants
Corn is a wonderful companion plant for many veggies; those plants that help corn grow the best are:
- Climbing beans
- cucumber
- marjoram
- peas
- pumpkins
- squash
- sunflowers
- zucchini
Related Articles
- Starting Seeds Indoors
- Using Corn Stalks in Your Garden
- When to Harvest Your Corn (in Progress)
Growing Potatoes
French fries, waffle fries, crinkly cut fries, curly fries, baked, boiled, steamed or mashed potatoes are a staple of all of our lives. I mean honestly would hamburgers be the same without the fry? Would gravy be the same without mashed potatoes? There are so many things we use potatoes for. According to the CIP at least a billion are consumed worldwide each year. On top of that potatoes are tubers, which makes them one of the easier plants to grow. So, if you have been considering growing potatoes and it’s spring in your areas, now is the time!
Interesting facts about the potato
Potatoes are such a large part of our food lives. What IS a potato anyway? While we are on the topic is a potato really a vegetable? Here are some super cool facts about this lovely plant!
- Potatoes are actually tubers making them one of the easier plants to grow in home gardens. They are a part of the Nightshade family of plants, which of course are known to have some very poisonous relatives! Curious enough, all parts of the potato plant actually are poisonous, EXCEPT the tubers! Which we eat as the glorious potato!
- In the 1890’s the US Supreme Court ruled several plants grown for the consumption of their “fruits” could legally be classified as vegetables and therefore taxed as vegetables! This decision included the mighty potato and many other plants such as the tomato, (which is actually a berry type fruit) watermelons, lettuce, spinach, kale; stems of rhubarb, carrots, onions, garlic, turnips and other tubers like Jerusalem artichokes, etc.! As a result, the potato is grown as a vegetable, taxed as a vegetable and is therefore legally considered, a vegetable!
- The term “spud” for potatoes originated from the Medieval words spyd or spad which were tools used at the time as digging tools. Of course this is the “Spade” and since spades were often used to dig potatoes, potato tubers were eventually called spud
Preparing your potato bed
Are you planning on growing potatoes? Old school farmer almanac followers will tell you, “if your dandelions are blooming your spuds should be shooting!” In other words plant them when you see those yellow flowers! Potatoes need cooler weather, the soil needs to be 40 to germinate and they grow best in 60 to 70 degree temperatures. If it’s too cold or wet or too hot they will not grow well.
Before planting potatoes make sure the space selected will enable them to thrive. Potatoes need loose, well draining, slightly sandy soil with good organic matter. Those that have hard, clay soils or soil that are filled with rock would do best using raised beds or bag containers which also work well for growing potatoes .
All of this does not mean Potatoes are hard to grow, only that like many other plants timing and soil is essential to growing them. For example, I’m in US Zone 7; therefore, my winters can range from too cold at times to perfect and my summers are 100% too hot. In addition, I tend to have harder soil in places. I will get the best results growing potatoes as a spring and fall plant and Sweet potatoes, (which want the heat) as a summer plant. I also add a slightly sandy topsoil that contained some wood mulch in it and mix in Epsum Salt and cow manure from Black kow.
Once your beds are ready its time to plant! So grab your spot and some soil, get that ready and and lets move on to growing potatoes!
Growing Potatoes
Planting potatoes is the easiest part of the whole process actually. There should at least be a mention regarding the prep portion of the process for the potatoes themselves.
First let’s discuss the ever present question, can one just use store bought potatoes? The easy answer is yes, and I would be lying if I said I never did. However, it’s not the best way to grow them. Therefore, if one does use store bought make sure and choose organic. Why though, why not? Well the top reason is many have been sprayed and don’t reproduce as well. Secondly, one is never sure what kind they are. We discussed the weather and the temperatures for potatoes to produce etc. Potatoes in the store are not always clear as far as their type. Are they early producers or those that take longer to grow? Knowing what one is growing, especially if in a location that does not have long produce them, is paramount to a successful crop.
Prepping one’s potatoes can be as easy as dropping them in a dark location and allowing them to root. They can also be placed in shallow jars with water and allowed to root. Potatoes can be planted whole or cut up as long as there are eyes inclusive in the pieces. If they are sliced up allow them a few days for the skin to harden prior to planting.
Dig a trench 6 to 8 inches deep. Allow about 12 inches apart for the largest potato harvest. If limited on space and not as concerned with the size plant them around 6 inches apart. Plant potatoes with the eyes up and cover them with about 3 to 4 inches of soil. As they grow mound more soil around them.
Potatoes like 1 – 2 inches of water per week, and unlike other plants prefer a deep soak in the night hours so that the soil moisture stays with them all day. This is a balancing act however, as too much water will cause your potatoes to either rot or swell. Therefore, watch watering carefully, leaving enough water to moisten the soil but not to soak it.
Companion plants
As with any plant there are companions that are best to plant together. Potatoes do well when grown with:
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Scallions
- Raddish
Plants that can enhance the flavor of your potatoes are:
- Yarrow
- Chamomile
- Basil
- Yarrow
- Parsley
- Thyme
According to the Spruce planting Horseradish can help potatoes become more resistant to disease. Flowers like petunias and alyssum can attract beneficial insects and tansy, coriander and catnip can help repel insects like the potato beetle.
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Growing Gourds
My journey growing gourds started about five years ago with ornamental gourds. I wanted to grow bottle gourds, also called birdhouse gourds and was primarily interested in them for crafts and such. 
What I discovered was growing gourds is simply fun. I have since come to think of gourds as the pringle of the plant world. You know… you can’t “grow” just one? Once one has experienced the total coolness of a gourd vine rambling across their yard or covering an arbor with giant, odd or gnarly looking “things” hanging down around it, they simply want to see more.
After growing the birdhouse gourd I just had to try a bushel gourd, (a giant that can grow up to 5 feet across) which led me to the luffa gourd (because who doesn’t want free sponges) and in the coming year I would love to try the canteen, apple or dipper gourd!
What is a Gourd?
Gourds are a part of the cucurbitaceae family which holds some 965 species including the edible varieties, squash and pumpkins; and, the ornamental varieties that are non edible with hard shells. Ornamental gourds are often used for arts and crafts, fancy bowls and spoons etc.
Most plants in this family are vine like. They also have a range of white or yellow flowers with both male and female flowers on the same vine.
Growing Ornamental Gourds
Hard shell ornamental gourds prefer full sun. They can take the heat! I have experienced growth in partial shade; however, the largest growth is obtained when grown in full sun. Gourds are heavy eaters, they produce large fruit so ensure their soil is enriched with compost and organic matter. (Tip: Leaves are great for organic matter. If heavy falling leaves exist around ones garden space, cover the soil with them in fall and roll them into it in spring!)
- Preference for gourds is direct sown in spring once all signs of frost has passed and the ground has warmed.
- Some gourds can take up to 100 days to fully develop and be ready for harvest. As such, use large starting pods to ensure minimal root damage if starting indoors due to shorter growing seasons.
- Plan for space. Most gourds have long heavy vines. They can be allowed to ramble across the ground or grown vertical with arbors or tepees, etc. Personal preference is to grow vertically. This enables ease of harvest and identification of pests or fungus etc.
- Plant seeds 1- 2 inches deep. If planting in rows plant in groups of 3 – 5 seeds, five feet apart. Keep the strongest 2-3 plants in each group.
- If seeding around arbors plant 2 – 4 seeds on each side of the arbor.
- Keep soil moist during germination and moderately moist as the plants matures.
- Gourds can successfully be grown in containers. Two of my favorite container gardeners on Instagram are Cheryl of My Brentwood Garden and The Frenchie Gardener give them a visit for all kinds of container garden tips!
Caring for Gourds
Gourds are relatively simple to care for once they have established. Their vines grow quick and strong leaving one of the largest challenges their maintenance. Clip the vines as needed to ensure they don’t crawl into or around other plants.
Gourds are susceptible to the Squash Vine Borer as well as other insects and fungi that target the cucurbitaceae family. I have had very good luck following these simple feeding steps:
- Spray gourds semi-monthly with a mix of: fish emulsion (2 tbs) dish soap (2 tsp) mixed with 1 gallon of water.
- Monthly:
- Add used coffe grinds to soil around base of plants.
- Add Epsom salt to soil
Companion plants for Gourds
Gourds, like many other plants, thrive when paired with specific plants, also known as companion plants. Some of the basic companion plants for gourds are:
- Marigolds
- Dill
- Radish
- Tansy
- Broccoli
- Beans
- Corn
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