Tag Archives: full sun

Sunflowers are a symbol of summer

Posted on August 14, 2019 by tedmanzer

We don’t grow many sunflowers commercially in this part of the country, but they are one of our most recognizable flowers. Many folks grow them on a small scale. There are so many reasons to grow sunflowers. They are beautiful, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged composite flowers, confection seed, cut flower arrangements, drought tolerant, full sun, high fertility, hot weather, oil seed, sunflowers, Vitamin E | 1 Comment

Angel trumpets love the summer heat

Posted on June 10, 2019 by tedmanzer

We’ve had some beastly hot weather recently, and many landscape plants are suffering. One that isn’t is angel trumpet (Brugmansia sp.), a member of the potato family. Angel trumpet plants grow to the size of a large shrub, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Angel trumpet, Brugmansia, butterflies, full sun, huge flowers, hummingbirds, poisonous, potato family, rich moist soil, stem cuttings | 3 Comments

Dill is a useful herb, but many people struggle to grow it

Posted on May 20, 2019 by tedmanzer

Everyone has eaten dill pickles, by themselves or in salads or sandwiches. Some love them and some may not, but dill (Anethum graveolens) is a spice often overlooked. Many folks try to grow it in their herb gardens with varied … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anise aroma, antimicrobial properties, antioxidants, dill, direct seeding, diuretic, full sun, herb pickles, lower blood sugar, medicinal herb, moist dell-drained soil, transplants | 5 Comments

Cilantro is a versatile herb with a long history

Posted on April 30, 2019 by tedmanzer

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herb used in numerous recipes from various cultures. It’s also known by different names, including coriander, Mexican parsley and Chinese parsley. It’s been cultured for at least 5000 years. Many Egyptian tombs contain seeds … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged annual herb, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant chemicals, cilantro coriander, Coriandrum sativum, cut frequently, full sun, medicinal herb | 1 Comment

Corkscrew willow and Corkscrew hazelnut have striking winter interest

Posted on February 27, 2019 by tedmanzer

Many plants have unique features that are displayed during the growing season. Some have unusual foliage. Some have unique flowers. Incorporating plants with attractive winter features can be a challenge. Two common plants are corkscrew willow (Salix matsudana) and corkscrew … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged attractive form, corkscrew hazelnut, corkscrew willow, Corylus avellana 'Contorta', curly willow, eastern filbert blight, edible nuts, floral accents, full sun, Harry Lauder's walking stick, male catkins, Salix matsudana, soil moisture, systemic ascomycete fungus, willow | 10 Comments

Sweetfern is a spicy northern cousin

Posted on January 10, 2019 by tedmanzer

I was trimming a wax myrtle the other day when I caught a whiff of its sweet fragrance. It reminded me of my many treks through the Maine wild landscape. Walking through waist-high patches of sweetfern gave my clothes an … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged Comptonia peregrina, edible nutlets, fern-like foliage, flowering plant, full sun, insect repelling qualities, nitrogen fixing, spice, sweetfern, sweetfern blister rust, two and three-needled pines, wax myrtle | 1 Comment

Catnip and catmint are confusing cousins

Posted on November 14, 2018 by tedmanzer

To most folks they are interchangeable. Catnip and catmint are closely related perennial herbs in the mint family. If I had to state their greatest deference it would be that catmint has more ornamental value. Catnip is more of a … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged catnip catmint Nepeta, diuretic, drought tolerant, full sun, herbal tea, medicinal herb, mint family, nepetalactone, perennial herbs, well drained soil | 2 Comments

Four o’clock flowers are beautiful and hard to remove

Posted on September 5, 2018 by tedmanzer

When I was in graduate school I lived in a hillside apartment that had beautiful four o’clock flowers in the front yard. They came in different colors, mostly bright pink to magenta, and they self-seeded themselves every year. I liked … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged four o'clock, fragrant, full sun, huge tubers, Mirabilis jalapa, nightshade family, self seeding, shiny black seeds, toxic to pets | 3 Comments

Flowers have critical temperature requirements, too

Posted on April 25, 2018 by tedmanzer

Last week I discussed temperature requirements for different vegetable crops. Flowers are not all the same either. Some hardy annuals like pansies are usually planted in the fall around here. They tolerate cold soils and temperatures below freezing. Snapdragons aren’t … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged annuals, bedding plants, biennials, cold soil, frost tolerant, full sun, hardening off, phosphorus, planting dates, shade loving, short lived perennials, soil temperature, wind damage | 1 Comment

Chives provide many pluses to your herb garden

Posted on August 8, 2017 by tedmanzer

Many people like the pungent flavor onions and garlic provide. The problem is the flavor is often too strong. Enter chives, which can be regular (similar to onion) or garlic types. It seems no baked potato is complete without sour … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging | Tagged allicin, anti-fungal, anti-oxidants, bright pink flower clusters, chives, full sun, garlic chives, repel insects deer and rabbits, toxic to dogs and cats, well drained soil | Leave a comment

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