Cucumber
Heat-loving and easy to grow, this plant produces tons of refreshing fruits in summer. Cucumber Overview DESCRIPTION Growing your own crunchy, just-the-right-size cucumbers is a cinch. Choose from dozens of varieties to grow at home. They will thrive in the garden, raised beds, or even large containers. They thrive in hot summer weather and, as with many types of produce, the more you harvest, the more the plants will produce. Whether you grow pickling cucumbers or slicing cucumbers, you’ll have a bounty to share with friends. GENUS NAME Cucumis sativa COMMON NAME Cucumber PLANT TYPE Vegetable LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet ZONES 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Seed Getting the Right Variety From long heirloom Chinese cucumbers to thumb-size pickling cucumbers, a wide range of cucumber varieties abound. When selecting a variety to fulfill your culinary wishes, look…
How to Plant and Grow Croton
This easy-care houseplant adds plenty of color to any space through its foliage. Croton, a perennial with woody stems and roots, features leathery, smooth-edge, oval- or lance-shape leaves in bright colors. These colors are often combined in patterns involving blotching and striping, and sometimes the color changes as the plant ages. Native to Malaysia, the Pacific Islands, and northern Australia, crotons are most often grown as houseplants but can be brought outdoors for the summer. In warm climates, croton can also be planted in the landscape to be enjoyed year-round. All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and pets.12 Croton Overview GENUS NAME Codiaeum COMMON NAME Croton PLANT TYPE Houseplant, Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 8 feet WIDTH 1 to 6 feet FLOWER COLOR White FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green, Chartreuse/Gold, Purple/Burgundy SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11 PROPAGATION Stem Cuttings Where to…
Crocus
Crocus Overview DESCRIPTION Crocus brings early spring color to the landscape by popping out of the ground (sometimes through snow!) with petite, ground-hugging flowers. Large sections of crocus planted beneath deciduous trees create a spectacular sight. This plant also possesses the power to jazz up rock gardens, brighten the ground in front of shrubs, and line sidewalks with splashes of color. GENUS NAME Crocus COMMON NAME Crocus PLANT TYPE Bulb LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 6 inches WIDTH 1 to 3 inches FLOWER COLOR Blue, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 PROPAGATION Division PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Groundcover Garden Plans for Crocus Crocus Care Must-Knows Crocus bulbs, like most spring bulbs, should be planted in fall as soon as the soil cools. Choose a location…
How to Plant and Grow Crape Myrtle
Also known as “Lilac of the South” due to its popularity in zones 7 to 9, crape myrtle is a deciduous shrub or small tree that explodes with white, deep rose, or magenta blossoms from July to September. The mid-summer color show is followed by foliage that turns yellow, orange, and red in fall. The sculptural trunks’ smooth, pinkish-gray bark peels off in winter for additional intrigue. Pick powdery mildew-resistant hybrids such as ‘Natchez,’ ‘Cherokee,’ and ‘Wichita’ for the best performance in humid summer regions. By planting crape myrtles against a warm, sunny wall, colder-climate gardeners can also enjoy this traditional Southeastern favorite. Crape myrtle grows quickly and enjoys a long life span. Crape Myrtle Overview GENUS NAME Lagerstroemia COMMON NAME Crape Myrtle PLANT TYPE Shrub, Tree LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 3 to 8 feet WIDTH 6 to 20 feet FLOWER COLOR Pink, Purple, Red, White SEASON FEATURES Colorful Fall Foliage,…
How to Plant and Grow Cranberries
Here’s what you need to know to grow cranberry plants in your backyard. PHOTO: KLAUS HONAL / GETTY IMAGES Cranberries often are featured as part of Thanksgiving feasts and other festive wintertime meals. Imagine how much more special your cranberry sauce would be when made with homegrown cranberries. These tart berries aren’t difficult to grow if you have the right conditions. There lies the challenge. Cranberry plants are low-growing, woody, vine-like shrubs that need acidic soil, cool temperatures, and lots of moisture. “These are likely NOT the conditions that most home gardeners would have,” says Hilary Sandler, Director of University of Massachusetts Cranberry Station. However, with a bit of preparation and some elbow grease, you can create a bed for growing these tasty, healthful berries right in your own backyard. A Bit About Cranberries The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is native to temperate regions of northeastern and central United States and southern Canada (USDA Hardiness Zones 2-6).…
Crabapple
This small tree packs in three seasons of interest, thanks to its flowers, fruit, and fall color. Crabapple Design Ideas Although it’s easy to fall in love with crabapple, it’s important to remember that plant diversity is important to a thriving ecosystem. A mix of small woody species is more valuable to local wildlife than a crabapple monoculture. Plant two or three crabapple trees alongside redbud, viburnum, lilac, dogwood, magnolia, juniper, holly, and/or cotoneaster. Create a living fence by planting crabapple trees along with other flowering shrubs and evergreens along a property line. Crabapple trees also make excellent specimen plants. Anchor the corner of a foundation bed with a low-branching, spreading cultivar. Add a crabapple to a perennial border for vertical interest year-round. Crabapple Care Must-Knows Crabapple trees grow best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. They will tolerate partial shade and heavy soils, but flower quantity is often diminished as…
Cotton
Cotton Overview DESCRIPTION Purple ornamental cotton is a showstopper. It bears rich purple heart-shape leaves and delicate hibiscuslike flowers in a soft, creamy pink color. If pollinated, the plant will develop purple cotton bolls filled with white cotton. Although ornamental cotton resembles its agricultural cousin, this version offers more color and a refined growing habit. This annual is tough to find; search out seed sources through online retailers. GENUS NAME Gossypium ‘Red Leaf’ COMMON NAME Cotton PLANT TYPE Annual LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 2 to 4 feet FLOWER COLOR Pink, White FOLIAGE COLOR Purple/Burgundy SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance PROPAGATION Seed, Stem Cuttings Agricultural Concerns It’s illegal to grow ornamental cotton in many cotton-producing states. Destructive boll weevils can take up residence and reproduce in a home-garden planting, threatening acres of agricultural cotton grown nearby. If you garden…
Cosmos
This unfussy annual makes a colorful addition to cut flower bouquets. Cosmos Overview DESCRIPTION Bright green fernlike foliage is the perfect complement to the daisylike flowers of cosmos, which come in shades of white, pink, yellow, or orange. This cottage-garden favorite is a magnet for pollinators and easily grown from seed sown directly in the garden. Plant petite varieties, such as ‘Little Ladybirds’, in containers for a pretty splash of color on the patio. Because cosmos is so easy to grow, it makes a fun choice for a children’s garden. GENUS NAME Cosmos COMMON NAME Cosmos PLANT TYPE Annual LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Orange, Pink, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION…
Corn Salad
This cool-season green has spoon-shape leaves with a mild nutty flavor. Also called mache, it’s a gourmet salad green that fetches top dollar at the supermarket. But you can save money by growing it yourself to enjoy its mild nutty flavor right from your garden. It is sometimes called lamb’s lettuce because sheep graze it in Europe. Make successive plantings every three weeks while weather is cool to ensure a steady harvest. Plants lose their nutty flavor as they age. Use corn salad raw in salads or steam or stir-fry with olive oil and garlic. It is hardy to 5 degrees F, so harvests can extend well into fall or winter. Corn Salad Overview GENUS NAME Valerianella locusta COMMON NAME Corn Salad PLANT TYPE Vegetable LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 6 inches WIDTH 4 to 6 inches PROPAGATION Seed Pruning and Harvesting Harvest young leaves as soon as…
Corn
Corn Overview DESCRIPTION Few things say summer like sweet corn, picked just minutes before eating. Sweet corn starts converting its sugars to starch the second you pick it, so it’s hard to find sweet corn more tasty than that from your backyard. Sweet corn takes space. It’s essential to plant a number of rows (more is better) because the ears are wind pollinated and they need the critical mass for best production. For this reason, it’s most efficient to plant corn in a block of short rows or hills rather than in a few long rows. Most stalks produce just one or two ears of corn, so plant plenty! And do what the professionals do: Plant early-, mid-, and late-season varieties to ensure the longest season of harvest, several weeks in late summer. Choose from standard sugary (su), sugar-enhanced (se), and supersweet (sh2) varieties with yellow, white, or bicolor kernels.…