Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower) –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The Tithonia, also known as The Mexican Sunflower is a member of the Daisy family and native to Mexico and Central America where it grows in the brush or among the scrubby grasses at the sides of roads or forests. Spanish explorers discovered the plant during their early excursions into…
The Zinnia – A Flower for All Gardens
The Zinnia – A Flower for All Gardens –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Few plants offer the dazzling array of color choices and large flowers that characterize the Zinnia family. Only dahlias and, perhaps, roses, can compete for size of bloom, intensity of color and showiness. The zinnia asks very little of its garden caretaker and gives so…
The Tomato
The Tomato –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Of all the vegetables grown in America, none is more universally beloved than the tomato, and yet, for many decades, this delightful fruit was shunned by Americans who considered it poisonous. The tomato is native to Mexico and western South America where it grows as a perennial. It has been a…
The Swiss Chard
The Swiss Chard –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Swiss chard is a cold tolerant biennial that is closely related to the beet. It is native to southern Europe and much older than the beet. It is believed to have developed from a form of wild beet thousands of years ago. White, yellow and dark green forms of chard…
The Sweet Pea
The Sweet Pea –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions In 1696, a Franciscan monk, Father Cupani was wandering the hillsides of Sicily when he came upon a flower so vividly colored and so potently fragrant that he was captivated. He collected the plant and planted its seed in his monastery garden. The fragrance of this sweet pea was extraordinary…
The Spinach
The Spinach –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Spinach is a cold tolerant annual that was native to central and southwest Asia and was first cultivated in Iran. Wild varieties can be found throughout Asia, North Africa and Europe. There are basically two kinds of spinach: smooth-seeded (including most modern varieties) and prickly-seeded (from several older varieties). Both of…
The Shallot
The Shallot –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Shallots are closely related to multiplier onions which are small onions that multiply freely by producing several lateral bulbs. The difference between a multiplier onion and a shallot is arbitrary. Commercially those onions with yellow or brown skins and white interiors are classed as multiplier onions while those with red skins…
The Salsify
The Salsify –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Salsify is a hardy, long-season perennial vegetable that has a deliciously flavorful creamy root. It has been cultivated for centuries in Southern Europe and around the Mediterranean. It has never gained widespread popularity, but has always had a very loyal following among a devoted few. Salsify came to the New World…
The Rutabaga and the Turnip
The Rutabaga and the Turnip –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Rutabagas and turnips belong to the brassica family which includes cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and mustard among other vegetables. Turnips have been cultivated for thousands of years and are probably native to both Europe and central and western Asia. Rutabagas, which are often called Swede turnips, combine…
The Rhubarb
The Rhubarb –Â A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Rhubarb is an herbaceous perennial, a member of the buckwheat family. The plant possesses an extraordinary tolerance for both cold and drought. It is hardy to Zone 3 and can be grown in colder climates if mulched. It can adapt to warmer climates where the plants simply die back in summer…