Garden Source

The Pepper Chili Cayenne Red Long Thin ‘Capsicum annuum’, is an excellent hot flavoring for chili, other hot foods. A string of dried cayenne is an very attractive decoration. The pencil-thin Cayenne peppers are used fresh in hot sauces and chilies, died or ground for cayenne pepper or pepper flakes, as a flavor in oil and vinegar, and as a decoration. The plants are decorative garden plant with what seems like hundreds of peppers on each plant. Transplant outside in the spring 3 to 4 weeks after last frost date. Note: To get a jump on the season transplant outside, use a walls-of-water or some black plastic to maintain and increase temperatures. Plant in average garden soil with sufficient organic matter. Peppers use quite a bit of water but prefer to be watered deeply and not too often. Use gloves and do not touch any other part of the body after harvesting. Wash your hands immediately.

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Maxicrop is a great choice for those who do not want to use synthetic rooting compounds or for those who want to feed their plants more than 70 minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Maxicrop is extracted from Norwegian seaweed. This all natural product has a guaranteed analysis of 1-0-4. Maxicrop is excellent for soaking seeds to improve germination. It also can be used as a soak for bulbs to increase their vigor. Apply it to seedlings, and watch them grow into healthy, vigorous plants. Maxicrop will strengthen cuttings, bare root trees and shrubs before and after transplant. Maxicrop can also be used as a foliar feed indoors or out. It can green up lawns, too. Remember, a healthy plant is a pest-free plant! The Quart RTU covers 5,000 square feet (for foliar feed of outdoor potted plants, gardens, or lawns). It has a built-in attachment for hose-end spraying. Usage/Rates: Soaking Seeds and Bulbs: Soak overnight in a solution of 1 tsp/gal of water. After plant

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The Bachelor Button Tall Blend, ‘Centaurea cyanus’, is a carefree annual that adds vertical interest and an array of colors to your garden. The Bachelor Button, also known as Cornflower, is drought tolerant and needs little pampering. The seed the plant drops quite readily comes back the next year to produce another crop of beautiful flowers. The Tall Blend Bachelor Button produces 1/2 to 1 inch wide flowers in colors of purple, light blue, pink, and white. They will bloom 10 to 12 weeks after seeding. The normal bloom period is 3 to 4 weeks. Bachelor Buttons prefer full sun but will withstand some shade. Average to poor dry soils will produce great flowers. Remove spent flowers to extend bloom season and flower size. Plant in early spring 1 to 2 weeks before last frost. In warm climates plant in in summer to early fall. The Bachelor Button is great for cut or dried flowers.

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The Amaranth Edible Red Leaf, ‘Amaranthus tricolor’, is a heat loving summer green that is even more nutritious than spinach or beet greens. This plant is showy enough for blower beds with its coleus appearance. The flavorful foliage has a hearty spinach flavor that is sweet and slightly tangy. Amaranth loves the heat and is a favorite source of salad greens when other spring green crops have all been harvested. Amaranth can be steamed, stir fried, or sauteed. Mix Edible Red Leaf Amaranth with spaghetti sauce, rice, or meatloaf for added taste. The medium green oval leaves are overlaid with burgundy red stars that make this plant look a bit like coleus. This plant is known as Callaloo in the Caribbean, Bhaji in India and is also known as Joseph’s Coat. Plant when soil temperatures are warm. Amaranth will tolerate most soils, but prefers light, loamy soils.

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The Thyme Common, ‘Thymus vulgaris’, is a herb for cooks who don’t know which herb to use. Thyme will go with almost anything. Thyme is a very elegant, small garden shrub. Plant a hedge of thyme around your herb or vegetable garden. The small plant with 1/4 inch leaves and delicate, edible flowers, appearing in early summer, is also a lovely 12 inch landscape plant. This excellent ornamental is great in rock gardens, edging, small borders and small hedges. The use of Thyme in culinary pursuits is extensive. Thyme plays a part in many French dishes and is great with fish, poultry, vegetables, mushrooms, omelets, soups, bean and lentil casseroles, rice, and seafood chowders. Thyme is easy to grow from seed. Plant Thyme in warm, light, loose, and well drained soil. Thyme should be planted in the spring, 2 weeks after the last average frost date.

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The Bachelor Button Tall Blend, ‘Centaurea cyanus’, is a carefree annual that adds vertical interest and an array of colors to your garden. The Bachelor Button, also known as Cornflower, is drought tolerant and needs little pampering. The seed the plant drops quite readily comes back the next year to produce another crop of beautiful flowers. The Tall Blend Bachelor Button produces 1/2 to 1 inch wide flowers in colors of purple, light blue, pink, and white. They will bloom 10 to 12 weeks after seeding. The normal bloom period is 3 to 4 weeks. Bachelor Buttons prefer full sun but will withstand some shade. Average to poor dry soils will produce great flowers. Remove spent flowers to extend bloom season and flower size. Plant in early spring 1 to 2 weeks before last frost. In warm climates plant in in summer to early fall. The Bachelor Button is great for cut or dried flowers.

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The Lupine Russell Blend, ‘Lupinus ‘Russell Hybrids’, has tall flower spikes with a large range of colors that makes Lupine when planted in groups a dramatic sight. The scents of the blossoms is like honey and it is a North America native flower. It is grown as an annual in southern states. The flowers are multiple 1/2 inch wide blossoms on spikes. They come in colors of white, yellow, pink, orange, red, salmon, lavender, blue, purple, and bicolors. Lupines bloom for 2 to 4 weeks in late spring. The Russel Blend prefers full sun and relatively cool conditions so do not plant in a hot spot. They prefer well drained and slightly acidic soil. Plant in the spring after average last frost date or in late summer in warmer climates. The Russell Blend is used for cut flowers, planted in mass, or backyard plants.

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The Viola King Henry, ‘Viola cornuta’, is an old, very popular Viola that can’t be out performed by the new Viola varieties. The edible, deep violet-blue velvety flowers (with a bright yellow eye) are striking when planted with spring bulbs. In cold climates, fall planting produces fall, early winter, and spring color. Viola King Henrys bloom fall through spring in warm climates. The King Henry will overwinter in climates as cold as zone 4. Summer Viola plants tend to get ragged and stretched out and become slow blooming. Plant new King Henry Violas then and replace the old ones. Plant the King Henry Viola in normal garden soil and keep them well watered but not soggy. Place them in full sun or very light shade, because too much shade will cause the Violas to get leggy. Plant the King Henry Viola in early spring about 2 weeks before last average frost date. In warm climates plant in late summer for fall and winter blooms. They look great planted in mass as a ground cover and with bulbs. The edible flowers can be used for salads and other dishes.

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