Coreopsis (Calliopsis) – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Coreopsis which was once known as Calliopsis and is sometimes known as Tickseed is a member of the Aster family. The plants are true native Americans being indigenous to the prairies and woodlands of North and Central America and Mexico. This is one of the many plants, named and described, by…
Cleome
Cleome - A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Cleomes are part of a large family of robust annuals and shrubs which are indigenous to tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. Only a few of the annuals are commonly cultivated. It is believed that the plant from which Cleome Rose Queen was developed came originally from the West Indies and was…
Chinese Lantern
Chinese Lantern – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The Chinese Lantern plant is a perennial which belongs to a family of more than 80 different species including the edible Ground Cherry and Tomatillo. This plant has been a favorite of Easterners and Westerners for centuries and is indigenous from southeastern Europe to Japan. Many gardeners now consider this plant…
Chrysanthemum Painted Daisy and Court Jester
Chrysanthemum Painted Daisy and Court Jester – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The Court Jester is a variety of Painted Daisy which is a member of the abundant Chrysanthemum family. Painted Daisies are annuals. It has been said that few flowers are more highly valued or widely grown than chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums originated in China. Five hundred years before…
The Caulifower
The Caulifower Cauliflower is nearly identical to broccoli. The only differences are the colors and characteristics of the head. Cauliflowers are generally white, but there are purple, green, and yellow varieties. Also, cauliflowers do not develop smaller heads or side shoots once the main head has been harvested. The cauliflower is thought to have been cultivated 2000 years ago in…
The Carrot
The Carrot The carrot grows wild throughout the Mediterranean and as far east as the Orient. The region around Afghanistan may have been where the first carrots originated and grew in shades of purple, red, or white. Yellow carrots were first recorded in Turkey in the 900’s. However, it was not until the 1600’s that the Dutch in Holland developed…
The Cabbage
The Cabbage In 1848, it was written, “The cabbage tribe is, of all the classes of cultivated vegetables, the most ancient, as well as the most extensive. The Brassica oleracea being extremely liable to sport or run into varieties or monstrosities, has in the course of time, become the parent of a numerous race of culinary productions, so various in…
The Bean and the Cowpea
The Bean and the Cowpea Bean cultivation can be traced to the earliest vestiges of human civilization. Beans may have been the first vegetables that mankind learned to cultivate. Fava beans have been found in Neolithic excavations in Switzerland. Chickpeas, favas, and lentils have been found in Egyptian tombs, and the Chinese started growing soybeans around 1500 BC. However, many…
How to grow Asparagus
How to grow Asparagus Asparagus has been a popular vegetable since ancient times. Roman chefs valued asparagus so highly that they dehydrated the stalks and kept them on hand throughout the year. Author Benjamin Watson wrote in his book, Heirloom Vegetables, that “One of emperor Augustus’s favorite sayings was…’Do it quicker than you can cook asparagus’,” referring to the Romans’…
How to grow an Artichoke
How to grow an Artichoke The artichoke is one of the most curious plants you will ever encounter. It is actually a perennial herb from the thistle group. Scientifically, it belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes all asters. Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. As an edible vegetable, the artichoke was first developed in Sicily,…