Annuals are plants that bloom in the same year that they are planted. A hardy annual is an annual plant that can tolerate frost and its seeds can tolerate a cold winter. The seeds of hardy annuals can be sown in the open garden in early spring or autumn. The seeds of hardy annuals can…
Lima beans are tender annuals grown for their flat, crescent-oval-shaped seeds. There are two types of lima beans: bush and pole or vine varieties. Bush types grow to about 2 feet tall (.6m) and tend to have smaller seeds; they bear more quickly than pole lima bean varieties. Pole lima beans have large seeds and…
Sweet potatoes are tender, warm-season perennial plants grown as annuals. Sweet potatoes are commonly grown from rooted sprouts called slips. -purchased at the garden center or from a seed catalog. Sweet potatoes require warm, frost-free weather to grow. The time to put sweet potato slips in the garden is after the soil has warmed to…
Southern peas are tender bushy or vining annuals. Southern peas are also called black-eyed peas, crowder peas, and yard-long beans. Southern peas are sometimes called cowpeas or field peas. Southern peas are more beanlike than pealike. The best-known Southern pea is the blackeyed pea. It is white with a distinctive black mark at the hilum…
Artichokes are perennial plants. Artichokes prefer cool, moist summers and mild winters. The perennial artichoke plant will not survive where the ground freezes. The artichoke is an edible thistle flower bud that is eaten before it opens. Artichokes are tender perennials that grow from 3 to 4 feet (.9-1.2m) tall and to 6 feet 1.8m)…
Selecting the right artichoke variety is key to a successful home garden. Over decades of growing artichokes in Sonoma Valley and advising other gardeners across varying climates, I’ve learned that choosing the right type affects bud size, flavor, season length, and overall plant vigor. Some varieties thrive in mild coastal conditions, while others perform well…
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