Saving Cucumber Seeds

Posted on August 15, 2025 | 2 comments

These North Carolina heirloom cucumbers from Seed Savers Exchange may look a little funny, but they are easy to grow and very tasty. I pick them when they turn yellow, rub them to remove the little spines, and then peel and eat. This is an heirloom cucumber. I can save the seeds to sow next year. To save the seeds, the cucumber must be botanically mature. That is, the fruit must be mature, and seeds must be fully developed. This is a more mature stage than when most people like to eat their cucumbers. Leave a few on the vine until they turn orange, become bloated, and pull off easily. Then cut open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

Put seeds in a glass jar. Cover with water by several inches. Let sit at room temperature for a few days with no lid. It should ferment. Then remove the fermentation and clean the seeds by adding water and mixing and pouring a little off at a time. Rinse and repeat. Eventually the non-viable seeds will pour out and the viable seeds, which are heavier, will stay at the bottom. Do several times until water is clear.

Place seeds on paper coffee filters or cookie sheets to dry. If seeds snap when you bend them, they are dry enough. Store them in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Don’t forget to label and date because you will never remember. Here is a link to more seed saving methods.

The Seed Savers Exchange has a virtual seed saving class from September 29 through November 3, 2025. I took this six-week course last year and it was well worth it. Sessions are recorded and there are plenty of opportunities to ask questions. The curriculum follows along with the book, The Seed Garden, which I purchased because I knew I would use it as a resource for years to come. Registration is open now. If you are interested in saving seeds, this is a great introduction.

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Peter Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers But Were They Ripe?

Posted on August 8, 2025 | Leave a comment

sweet peppers in a container, ready to harvest

Each year I grow several types of sweet peppers from seed. I often try new varieties and plant them in different locations among the tomatoes and basil. But when the peppers appear, I find it more confusing to determine when to pick them compared to when I should pick my other veggies such as tomatoes. I often must go back to the seed packet to remember what they are supposed to look like when ripe.

The time to harvest peppers depends on the specific type of pepper. Different types ripen at different rates and the mature stage can be green, yellow, orange, red, red brown, or purple.  In general, hot peppers are slower to ripen than sweet peppers. I don’t grow hot peppers so mine are ready from July through the fall. Turning color is not always the indicator. For example, jalapenos are usually picked when green. If left on the bush they will turn red but people think they taste better green so that is when they are picked traditionally. Shishitos, serranos, and bell peppers are often picked green.

Proven Winners’ Holy Moly calibrachoa and Burpee’s Sweet Savour pepper, ripe but will leave as is since combines well with the flowers

As long as the pepper is a mature size and has stopped growing, it can be picked and eaten, regardless of color. It may be less sweet or less spicy, but it can be used in the kitchen. I prefer sweeter peppers so even though I know I can pick them green, I wait until they turn the color they are supposed to be when ripe.

Another way to determine if a pepper is ready is to gently pull the pepper upwards. If it is firmly attached, wait. Then try again in a few weeks. Pull the pepper upwards again and if it pops off the plant with ease. it is ready. Some types such as bell peppers don’t always snap off as easily and may need to be cut with gardening snips or pruning shears.

Tolli’s Sweet Italian matures a red color, making it sweet, so this is not ready yet

If you see tan striations, the skin is growing slower than the flesh causing “stretch marks.”  This is called “corking” and is an indication that the pepper is ready to be picked. This is a normal process and not a disease. The peppers may not look pretty but they are edible.

If a light frost is forecasted, you can either cover the plants to protect them or pick them and bring them in the house. If a hard freeze is forecasted, it is best to pick everything or they will become mushy. The peppers can be left on the kitchen counter to continue to ripen for a few days. Any longer and you will have to refrigerate them, dry them (on a plate or in a dehydrator), pickle them, or freeze them in freezer bags.

Peppers are easy to grow and if you grow them from seed, you can get a wide variety. Here are some pepper growing tips and a list of more than 100 seed companies.

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Time to Prune Lavender

Posted on August 2, 2025 | 2 comments

I have several Phenomenal® lavender shrubs from Peace Tree Farm, a wholesale nursery in Pennsylvania. They have been in the front of my house for 8 years. Each summer they bloom profusely, attracting many bees. There are many types of lavender, but this is Lavandula x intermedia which works well as a hardy garden plant. Because of their highly fragrant foliage, deer don’t bother them. I have never had pest/disease issues. Now in August, the blooms are past their prime and the bees have moved on to other flowers in the garden. This is the best time to remove the spent blooms and to prune the shrubs to maintain their shape.

Although we think of lavender as a perennial, it really is a woody shrub that must be pruned annually. As the shrub ages, the branches become thick and gnarled, and they tend to crack and split. Annual pruning is necessary to prevent this with the branches and to remove the spent flower stalks.

A close up shows how far down the flowering stalk you have to cut.

To prune, look at the flowering stalks and where new growth occurred this year. Look for where the woody base ends and the new foliage growth begins. Cut into the new leaf growth but not into the woody section. Usually, the new spring growth you want next year will not occur in the woody section. Make your cut about 2 to 3 inches above the woody part and into the “green” part. You can use pruning shears or hedge shears depending on how many you have. Sometimes it is easier to cut off the stems first and then go back and shape the bush to create a symmetrical, dome-shaped appearance. Remove dead or damaged branches. Everything can go in the compost pile or save the foliage for potpourri.

Shaping it like this prevents the shrub from becoming a woody gnarled unattractive shrub. If left unpruned the shrub’s woody base will only get bigger, making it harder to cut and shape. Also, if left unpruned, it will develop fewer flowers. It is best to prune after the shrub blooms but no later than late August. Pruning in the fall will encourage tender new growth which will be killed by the cold winter temperatures. If you don’t prune in the fall, prune in the spring when new foliage growth emerges but before the plant blooms. Because my bushes are in front of the house and in front of spring blooming bulbs, I prune in the fall. I think the dead flower spikes are unsightly in the winter, and they detract from my spring bulb display.

Since its 2013 introduction of Phenomenal®, Peace Tree Farm has introduced Exceptional™ which has white blooms, Sensational!® which has purple flowers, and Inspirational!™ which has white flowers. All of these are winter hardy and perform well for us in the DC metro area. You should be able to purchase these from local garden centers. Lavender plants need full sun, plenty of air circulation, and well-drained soil. Good drainage is key so think about amending the soil or placing in raised beds.

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Bush Honeysuckle Colors the Summer Garden

Posted on July 26, 2025 | 2 comments

Flower of Firefly Bush Honeysuckle

Recently I have discovered an outstanding shrub for the garden — I really don’t know why it is not commonly grown here in the DMV. Bush honeysuckle is a deciduous, small woody shrub that thrives in full sun. It is native, deer resistant, and drought resistant and so far I have not seen any pest/disease issues. I have four different ones that I planted 2 years ago. I will admit, it took that long for them to settle down and thrive but once they are established, they provide pretty summer color.

Although not grown for flowers, bush honeysuckle blooms small, yellow tubular flowers that open up to yellow or orange florets. These attract bees and hummingbirds. Sometimes the floral color contrasts with the foliage making them stand out but if you were to cut something and put it in a vase, it would be the foliage.

Firefly from Bloomin’ Easy

I have Firefly and Nightglow from Bloomin’ Easy. Firefly® (Diervilla sessilifolia) is about 3 feet tall and wide with green summer foliage. I say “summer” because foliage can change color with these cultivars depending on the season and maturity (new versus old leaves). The orange reddish new growth appears mid-summer and contrasts nicely with the green. It also blooms mid-summer with yellow and orange flowers at the end of the branches. Nightglow® (D. splendens) is smaller, about 2 feet tall and wide, with summer burgundy red foliage (so far, no blooms).

Kodiak Fresh from PW Color Choice

Proven Winners Color Choice sells the Kodiak® series in green, dark purple to black, and copper red foliage colors. These are D. x splendens, a cross between D. lonicera and D. sessilifolia. I have Kodiak® Red and Kodiak Fresh®. Red has green summer foliage, and the new growth is red. It bloomed earlier in the year leaving behind small upright seed heads. Fresh has light green summer foliage with copper-orange new growth. This year it has not bloomed yet.

If you search on the internet, you may find more color variations. There has been quite a lot of breeding to expand the foliage color in this outstanding shrub. They are all relatively small, no bigger than 4 feet, which makes them perfect for small homes. These should be available at the local garden centers but if not, you can order directly from Bloomin’ Easy or check out the Proven Winners Color Choice website for online sources and local retailers.

Nightglow from Bloomin’ Easy

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Rockin’ and Rollin’ in the Herb Garden

Posted on July 19, 2025 | Leave a comment

For an unusual family outing this summer, consider visiting the new Rock and Roll exhibit at the National Herb Garden, located at the U.S. National Arboretum in DC. Throughout the National Herb Garden are plants that have been mentioned in songs, named after songs, albums, or music groups, or used to make musical instruments.


The National Herb Garden entrance features a large sign that says “Welcome to the Rock Garden… This year we are rockin’ out in the National Herb Garden and featuring two of our favorite things: music and herbal plants …” The sign has a QR code for visitors to download a playlist of 107 songs on Spotify.


Each plant is labeled with the botanical and common names and relationship to music. For example, in front of a chile pepper there is a sign stating: Capsicum annuum ‘Purple Rain’, chile pepper, and the song Purple Rain from Prince and the Revolution. In front of peppermint is a sign stating Mentha x piperita, peppermint, and the song Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock and Peppermint Twist by Joey Dee and the Starliters.


There also are plants used to make musical instruments such as boxwood, Buxus sempervirens, to make violins; elm, Ulmus spp., to make Iroquoian rattles; and the calabash tree, Crescentia cujete, to make berimbaus (Brazil) and maracas (Cuba).


The exhibit has 35 plants named after music, 40 plants mentioned in songs, and 21 plants used to make musical instruments. Signage is very easy to spot and color coded by category: plants that make instruments are blue, those mentioned in songs are green; and those named after music are purple. Most are in the entrance but there are some punctuated through the herb garden.


This interesting idea is the brainchild of National Herb Garden gardener, Erin Holden. Erin also is an herbalist and a member of the American Herbalists Guild, United Plant Savers, and the Herb Society of America.


“While looking at a nursery catalogue a few years ago I stumbled upon a fun cultivar of Coreopsis with fluted petals called ‘Jethro Tull’, said Erin. “Although Bluestone Perennials claims it was named after the 18th century agriculturalist, I think it’s no coincidence that the lead singer of the 70’s progressive rock band Jethro Tull also famously plays the flute. And it got me thinking – are there other plant cultivars out there named after music groups?”


Erin spent many evenings scrolling through seed catalogues and nursery inventories, making a list of plants that had music-related names. She then pitched the idea of a Rock and Roll Garden display in the National Herb Garden, which was accepted but it took quite a while to locate and order the plants. The results are well worth it! 


Visit the exhibit soon as it will only exist this summer through fall. The National Herb Garden is on 2 ½ acres at the U.S. National Arboretum and is the largest designed herb garden in the United States. It was completed in 1980 and is supported by the Herb Society of America. The U.S. National Arboretum is at 3501 New York Avenue NE and is open every day except Christmas. Admission is free, and there is plenty of parking.

 

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Growing Cucumbers in the DC Metro Area

Posted on July 12, 2025 | 5 comments

An American slicer

Every year I grow cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and some years are better than others. This year, they are doing great.

I usually grow them for salads, not for pickling. Slicers (American slicers) are about 7 to 9 inches long with a green thick skin. The skin is edible but bitter. In grocery stores, the American slicers may be waxed to preserve the moisture, so it is best to peel them.

Pickling cucumbers are shorter, about 3 to 5 inches long, and can be eaten fresh or pickled. American pickling cucumbers have fewer, larger spines than European pickling cucumbers. European pickling cucumbers have many small spines and are used for baby gherkins and cornichons.

Another European type found in grocery stores is the long slender cucumber wrapped in plastic. These have thin, edible skins likely to dry out. These are mild tasting with smaller or less seeds; often called seedless or burpless since they do not cause digestive issues (i.e., gas).

Asian cucumbers are spiny, slender and long, up to a foot in length. And then there are other species such as the striped Armenian (Cucumis melo).

What are burpless cucumbers? Cucumbers contain cucurbitacins which is responsible for causing digestive issues and a bitter taste. There are many cultivars on the market now that have been bred to have low levels of cucurbitacins. They may be marketed as “bitter free” or “burpless.” However, this bitter quality also has health benefits. If you are looking for burpless cucumbers, most varieties that are seedless and thin skinned have lower levels of curcurbitacins (such as European and Asian types) or look for varieties that are described as bitter-free or non-bitter.

This Kitchen Mini is parthenocarpic, no need for bees to have fruit indoors on your kitchen counter

Cucumbers are warm season vines but there are bush types good for container growing. The world of cucumbers is quite large; there are many different types. As always, you get a wider variety if you grow them from seed.

Cucumbers can be started from seed indoors under lights about 3 weeks before the last frost. I start mine in May, outdoors in small containers on my deck. I then transplant the seedlings in the garden. I do not direct sow because every time I do, it seems that storms wash away the seeds or some critter or bird has removed them. Direct sowing should be done when the soil has warmed to 65-70 degrees. Sow 3 seeds in one place, every 12 inches in a row. Of the three, keep the strongest looking seedling and pinch out the other two.

Cucumbers need full sun, plenty of water, and support. My cucumbers grow in the same location as my tomatoes and peppers on metal A-frames. I like the metal A-frames because they are very stable during strong storms. Cucumber tendrils tenaciously wind around anything so any type of vertical structure can be used.

The soil should be high in organic matter – I add leaf compost every year. In June, July, and August, I broadcast a bag of granular Espoma Organic Tomato-tone fertilizer for my tomatoes and share it with the cucumbers.

Cucumbers need to be picked before they become too mature. Like beans, the more you pick, the more the plant will produce fruit. It is best to snip or cut the fruit off the vine instead of pulling. If the cucumber has a spiny texture, wipe with a dry paper towel first and then wash with water. Refrigerate if you are not going to eat immediately.

Cucumbers can be planted more than once in a growing season. This is done for more cucumbers, especially if your first crop was wiped out by a disease, or for staggered fruit production so you are not overwhelmed. Usually, it takes 50 to 65 days to get a mature crop so work backwards from your first frost date in the fall to figure out if you still have enough time.

Suyo Long is monoecious, having both male and female flowers on one plant

Cucumbers have an unusual sex life so it is important to understand several terms. The plants are monoecious or gynoecious. Monoecious have both male and female flowers. These plants depend on bees for pollination. Because male flowers bloom earlier than female flowers, the fruit production is relatively slower over a protracted period of time. This is preferable for a sustained harvest or one in which the gardener does not want to be overwhelmed with too much fruit.

Gynoecious plants have predominantly female flowers on one plant but will need a plant nearby with male flowers for pollination. This results in a higher and more concentrated yield since all the female flowers on one plant have the potential to create fruit. This may be advantageous to commercial farmers, especially with mechanical harvesters. The seed packet will have about 10 percent monoecious to produce the male flower and the rest will be gynoecious. Or the monoecious may be placed in a separate packet or dyed a particular color.

Parthenocarpic plants also have female flowers but they do not need pollination to set fruit. These types do well in a greenhouse because bees are not necessary. However, if they are accidently pollinated by insects, the resulting fruit may not be desirable.

“Open pollinated” plants rely on bees and the seed can be saved to sow again next year resulting in plants with the same characteristics. These have not been bred for a particular characteristic such as disease resistance. All open pollinated plants are monoecious. Heirlooms are a type of open pollinated plants that have been passed down from generation to generation, usually with a story.

Hybrids have been bred for particular characteristics such as disease resistance or lower levels of cucurbitacins. With hybrids, seeds can be saved but the next generation will not retain the desired characteristics for which it was bred.

This year I am growing two types. Suyo Long is an Asian variety with very thin skin that does not have to be peeled. It is easy for me to wash, cut and put in a salad. I also like the unusual fruit – it grows up to a foot long.

North Carolina, not yet ready to be picked

North Carolina heirloom has 4 to 5-inch, yellow/cream colored fruit. I selected these seeds because I have grown lemon cucumbers in the past and this looked similar. Although I use North Carolina in salads, it can be used for pickling because of its short length.

One disadvantage to growing heirlooms is that they are not bred for disease resistance. Like tomatoes, cucumbers are prone to fungal diseases, bacterial wilt, downy mildew, and powdery mildew. Pests include cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and spider mites.

In this area, the biggest issue is the striped or spotted cucumber beetle which transmits a bacterial wilt from which the plant cannot recover. If infected, the leaves wilt followed by the stems and then the entire plant wilts and dies rapidly. To prevent, you must prevent the beetles by:

  • spraying or dipping plants in a slurry solution of water and kaolin clay (brand name Surround) before planting
  • covering plants with a row cover and removing when flowering so they are pollinated by bees
  • growing plants bred to be resistant to the wilt
  • spraying seedlings or transplants with neem or pyrethrum
  • planting around mid-June, when overwintering adults have emerged and left your garden
  • rotating crops
  • removing plant material in the fall to reduce the overwintering beetle populations

If you are interested in growing from seed, here is a list of more than 100 seed catalogs. Note that there is one company that specializes in cucumbers called the Cucumber Shop in California. I have not ordered from them yet but I am sure they are a good resource for all things cucumber.

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Demonstration Gardens: Local Education and Inspiration

Posted on July 5, 2025 | Leave a comment
flowers

small mailbox garden with suitable plants

In the summer I like to visit demonstration gardens to see how well the plants and vegetables performed in this area. Demonstration gardens are a great way to learn what works in the Washington DC metro area and how to manage our local issues, such as deer and rabbits. Each county that has a Master Gardener program usually has at least one demonstration garden, managed by the volunteer Master Gardeners. These are open to the public and free. To find such a garden, call your local county Master Gardener program representative (your local extension agent). Some have several to showcase various environmental conditions and some use the garden as a place to teach or host workshops.

In Northern Virginia, the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (Arlington and Alexandria) now have nine demonstration gardens. The Prince William County Master Gardeners manage a very large Teaching Garden at St. Benedict Monastery, 9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow. Within this property are mini gardens to illustrate certain conditions or issues, such as a deer resistant garden, shade garden, vegetable garden, and pollinator garden. The Loudoun County Master Gardeners uses Ida Lee Park on Ida Lee Park Drive, Leesburg, as a teaching garden.

Green Spring Gardens, managed by Fairfax County Park Authority, has several demonstration gardens. The Green Spring Master Gardeners take care of the Edible Garden and the Children’s Garden.

deer sign

examples of deer resistant plants

In Maryland, the Montgomery County Master Gardeners manage six demonstration gardens. The Prince Georges County Master Gardeners have demonstration gardens at their headquarters at 6707 Groveton Drive, Clinton.

In DC there is the Washington Youth Garden, a program of the Friends of the National Arboretum, with support from the U.S. National Arboretum.  This is located on the Arboretum grounds.

plant sign

unusual plants at demonstration gardens

Some plant societies such as the National Capital Dahlia Society have demonstration gardens specific to their plant of interest. Contact the society directly to see if they have one. The National Capital Dahlia Society has the Nordahl Exhibition Garden for displaying dahlias at the Agricultural History Park in Derwood, MD. Plant NoVA Natives has a list of demonstration gardens that feature native plants on their site.

If you know of any that I have not listed here, please let me know in the comments box.

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Edible Flowers from the Summer Garden

Posted on June 19, 2025 | Leave a comment

roseSummer is here and the garden flourishes. As you pick flowers for arrangements and harvest vegetables for dinner, you may want to experiment with another crop: edible flowers. Chances are you have edible flowers in your garden already. Edible flowers are flowers from plants that can be eaten safely and can add flavor, color, and interest to just about anything – drinks, desserts, and main dishes.

Look around your garden. If you are growing bee balm, daylilies, roses, signet marigolds, and nasturtiums, you can use the flowers in the kitchen. Just keep in mind two caveats: even if you do not spray with chemicals always wash the flowers; and, after washing, taste a raw petal to determine the flavor which can vary and to ensure you are not allergic. For some such as daylilies, you may want to remove the anthers to remove as much pollen as possible.Monarda didyma

For example, the red flowered bee balm (Monarda didyma) has a sweet and spicy citrus taste. Of all the bee balm plants, this species has the best flavor. The red flowers add flavor and color to tea, lemonade, fresh fruit, fruit tarts, pound cakes, simple syrups, butter spreads, or melted butter for fish. The entire flower heads can be in a pitcher of lemonade or separated petals can be sprinkled on top of whipped cream with fresh fruit. The purple flowering type (Monarda fistulosa) is not as flavorful but is still edible. If you only have that plant in your garden you can still use the flowers as a garnish, on the side of a salad or pound cake, or you can sprinkle the lavender-colored petals on a white-frosted, angel food cake.

daylilyThe flavor of daylily flowers (Hemerocallis spp.) will depend on the type but in general the petals taste like lettuce with a crunch. Because of their funnel shape, they are great for filling with cream cheese or a chicken salad. If you support an individual flower in a small glass or egg cup, you can fill it with a scoop of fruit salad. Remember to remove the pistils and stamens before you use them in the kitchen. Daylily flowers can be stuffed with cheese and fried. The unopened flower buds can be battered and fried or added in a stir fry dish.

rose budsRoses (Rosa spp.) vary quite a bit in flavor but all rose flowers are edible so they can always be used to color a dish. Try eating a petal first to see if there is a good flavor. If not, then just use the petals to decorate cakes, fruit salad, or a cocktail. Rose buds are also beautiful garnishes for cheese platters and cupcakes. Rose petals can be dried, chopped and added like confetti or layered with sugar for a red or rose flavored sugar.

Although people often say marigolds are edible, the common French (Tagetes patula) and African (Tagetes erecta) types are not very tasty. The best marigolds for flavor are the signet marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia). Usually you will find them as the Gem series – Tangerine (orange), Red, and Lemon. These are bushy plants, about a foot tall, with fine, feathery leaves and small flowers, only about an inch wide. The blossoms have a citrus taste and depending on the type, provide a bright yellow, orange, or red color. Pulling off the petals and adding them to green pea soup or red tomato soup adds contrast and interest. Adding petals to cheese dishes, deviled eggs, butter, potato salad, muffins, quiche, and egg salad add flavor and color. Usually signet marigolds are used in savory dishes, not sweet. Because these are not commonly grown as bedding plants in this area, you may have to order seeds online and start from seed in May. They are as easy to grow as the other marigolds.signet marigolds

Nasturtium flowers (Tropaelum majus) are very flavorful and are used to add a pepper taste. There is a wide variety of nasturtium flower colors and shapes but they are usually bright orange, yellow, or red. The varieties with a prominent funnel shape are great for stuffing with cream cheese or tuna salad. The entire flower can garnish a vegetable dish, or the petals can be sprinkled on green beans for contrast. These savory flowers are great for finger or tea sandwiches, butter for potatoes or seafood, green salads, or cream or goat cheese. Think of using nasturtiums to add red petals to an orange butternut squash or yellow petals to a red tomato soup. The nasturtium leaves also are edible so you can layer a blossom on a leaf for added interest.

Other edible flowers that bloom in the summer include fuchsia, gladiolus, hibiscus, hollyhock, and rose of Sharon. There are many more plants with edible flowers, including spring and fall bloomers, vegetable flowers and herb flowers but we will save that information for future articles. This list of edible and non-edible flowers will give you more ideas.

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The Many Uses of Thai Basil

Posted on June 14, 2025 | 2 comments

I grow different types of basil in my Virginia garden and Thai basil is my favorite. Thai basil is a variety of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) but the flavor is spicier and more pungent — like anise and clove combined. I grow this warm weather annual for its use as a culinary herb and for its landscape value.

Thai basil gets its name from its popularity in Thai cuisine, but it is equally popular in Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Laotian cuisines. Thai basil can withstand prolonged cooking heat so the leaves work well with chicken or beef stir fried dishes. Thai basil also is used in Pad Thai, Vietnamese Pho, spring rolls, curries, and noodle dishes.

On the flower stems, the actual blossom is a light purple while the calyx is a dark purple

A more obscure use is Thai basil in refreshing drinks. To use Thai basil, first create a simple syrup. Combine one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan. Add one cup of loosely packed leaves and gently mash them up against the side of the pot to release the oils. After bringing to a boil and simmering for 15 minutes, let the syrup cool, drain off the leaves, and pour the sweet, spicy syrup in a glass jar.

Add a few spoonsful of the syrup to a glass of limeade (made from a frozen concentrate). If you add a shot of gin, you will begin to see the many uses of Thai basil syrup in drinks such mojitos, gin and tonics, daiquiris, and martinis.

This flavor will also work well with citrus. For example, pour a few spoonsful over sliced oranges. Try adding spices such as cloves and cinnamon – maybe even cardamom – to make the flavor even more complex.  Another option would be to either add the syrup or mince the Thai basil leaves on mango, pineapple, or papaya.

Because of their pretty flowers, Thai basil is used in vinegars. To make a vinegar, simply fill a glass jar with a 5 percent vinegar such as apple cider or white wine and add the flower heads and foliage. Let sit in a dark place for a few weeks. Drain off the foliage and leave the flower heads. These makes great gifts.

Thai basil can be grown in containers or in the garden

The flower spike can be used in fresh or dried floral arrangements. Basil flowers are made up of a calyx that dries and remains on the stem and the actual small flower inside, which eventually drops off after it has bloomed. This makes basil ideal for dried floral arrangements as well as potpourris.

I use Thai basil as an annual in the garden bed, just like any other annual. It adds a purple haze, similar to coleus, and tolerates our heat and humidity very well. I don’t pick the leaves, I just let it grow and flower in a mass.

Like other basils, this plant needs full sun and plenty of water in the summer. It is easy to start from seed after the average last frost when nighttime temperatures stay warm. Although we grow it as an annual, it really is a tender perennial that perishes with our fall frosts. As long as you keep it watered, Thai basil does well as a container plant.

There are several popular varieties of Thai basil.  Cardinal has large, dark red flower heads with burgundy red stems and bright green leaves. Siam Queen, a 1997 All-America Selections winner, has large, dark purple-red flower heads and dark leaves.  Everleaf Thai Towers is a columnar plant with delayed flowering. You can purchase it as a plant in local garden centers or grow if from seed. It is perfect for an accent piece in a tall container.

Everleaf Thai Towers, mid-summer.

Thai basil is not prone to the downy mildew disease that affects sweet basil. I have never had a pest or disease issue although I have noticed that it is quicker to flower than the other basils. The solution is to have many plants, some for leaves, some for flowers or to purchase one bred to have delayed flowering like the Everleaf series. You can either pinch your Thai basil to prevent flowering and harvest the leaves or let the plants flower and use the flowers as a garnish, for flower arrangements, or for vinegars.

This plant is easy to find in local garden centers and seed catalogs. Thai basil is such a multitasking herb, it is worth growing every year.

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Growing and Dividing Bearded Irises

Posted on June 5, 2025 | Leave a comment

Bearded irises (Iris germanica) are popular perennials in this area, grown for their stunning flowers. So named because of their fuzzy “beards” in the three downward falling petals, bearded irises bloom from spring through summer and make excellent cut flowers.

These plants are grown from rhizomes, which are underground stems. The rhizomes multiply each year and can be divided easily. In fact, they should be lifted and divided about every 5 years. June and July are the best times to divide.

To divide, cut the foliage back to about 6 inches. Dig around the perimeter of the planting to loosen the rhizomes with a gardener’s fork. Using your hands, lift the plantings. Brush off the soil, and remove and trash any diseased, rotten, or old woody parts of the rhizomes. Look for the iris borers and if you see them or damage caused by them, remove and trash. Separate the rhizomes so that each one has a fan of leaves. Save only healthy rhizomes with foliage attached.

Spread out and bury the roots and bury the rhizomes deep enough for them to remain stable but shallow enough so their top sides are exposed. Do not mulch. Plant about 12 to 24 inches apart, depending on the plant’s mature size. Water thoroughly and water until established.

Bearded irises should be planted in well-drained soil, in full sun, and with good air circulation. Soil with too much clay should be amended with organic matter or compost to improve the drainage. When they are established, they are drought tolerant. Deer are not interested in bearded irises.

These irises benefit from deadheading and a shot of fertilize in the summer. To minimize pests, the foliage is trimmed to about 6 inches in the fall. Throw away the foliage, do not put in the compost pile.

The American Iris Society (AIS) has a local region, Region IV, for Virginia, Maryland, and DC. If you are interested in joining or learning of iris shows and sales, visit the Region IV website. AIS has divided the bearded iris into six groups, listed below in order of earliest to latest bloom time and shortest to tallest sizes.

  • Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB): These are 4 to 8 inches tall, earliest to bloom, and used in rock gardens or planted in drifts. The flowers are small, one to 2 inches across. They can bloom as early as March, depending on the zone.
  • Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB): These are 8 to 16 inches tall, the flowers are larger, and tend to bloom early in spring (April). They are best grown in clumps.
  • Intermediate Bearded (IB): These are 16 to 27 ½ inches tall and bloom in April and May and can be grown in clumps or along a garden border.
  • Border Bearded (BB):  These are 16 to 27 ½ inches tall and bloom in early summer, same time as Tall Bearded but with a shorter height.
  • Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB): These are 16 to 27 ½ inches tall. The stems are thinner, and the flower sizes are smaller than Border Bearded and Tall Bearded but bloom at the same time. Often called table irises because they are good for cut arrangements.
  • Tall Bearded (TB): These are 27 ½ inches tall and taller and may need staking. They have a lot of branching and many buds. Typically, these are summer bloomers but the timing of the bloom varies with the cultivar so they can bloom from late spring to early summer.

Because there are thousands of cultivars, it may be best to choose from award-winning irises listed on the AIS or Region IV websites. Each year, the AIS gives awards to the different classification of irises, including the six types of bearded irises. In addition, the AIS sponsors the tall bearded iris symposium, which is an annual popularity poll of tall bearded irises. AIS members and nonmembers may vote. The top irises are ranked, and the results are published on the website. The list provides the plant’s rank in the current year and previous year, cultivar name, votes received, hybridizer’s name, introduction year, bloom season, height, and a brief description of the flower color.

Bearded irises are available at local garden centers. For a wider variety, check out these bulb companies. Try growing these in your garden this year!

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