From the Latin saxum, rock or stone, and frango, to break, alluding either to its ancient medicinal use for ‘breaking’ stones in the bladder or to the supposed ability of the roots to penetrate and assist the breakdown of rocks (Saxifragaceae). Saxifrage, rockfoil. A genus […]

10 Vegetables to Grow. Growing Vegetables Growing 10 vegetables for your garden. Types of vegetables to use with names and lessons learned in growing these vegetables. Acanthus Perennial Acanthus Perennial When to plant, where to plant, what plant to use […]

How to grow Coreopsis (kor-e-op-sis) From the Greek koris, a bug or tick, opsis, like, a reference to the appearance of the seeds (Compositae). Tickseed. The annual species are often cataloged under Calliopsis. Hardy perennials and annuals with showy flowers, […]

How to grow Gazania Gazania (gaz-ay-ne-a) Commemorating Theodore of Gaza, fifteenth-century translator of the botanical works of Theophrastus (Compositae). Treasure flower. Half-hardy perennials from South Africa, with showy flowers, which open in the sun and close about 3 p.m. The […]

How to grow Impatiens Impatiens (im-pa-she-ens) From the Latin impatiens in reference to the way in which the seed pods of some species burst and scatter their seed when touched (Balsaminaceae). Balsam, busy lizzie. A genus of about 500 species […]

How to Grow Sidalcea Sidalcea (sid-al-see-a) A compound of two related genera, Sida and Alcea. The former comes from an ancient Greek name used by Theophrastus for the water-lily, the latter from Althaea, the generic name for hollyhock (Malvaceae). These […]

This is the measure used to indicate the active acidity of the soil. The term is based on the balance between the hydrogen ions and the hydroxyl ions, and it is essential to remember that a low pH figure indicates acid soil, […]

Lettuces fall into three groups—cabbage, cos, and loose-leaf. The cabbage kinds are subdivided into crispheads and butterheads. Those sold by the grocery stores are almost always butterheads because crispheads do not travel well and wilt rather quickly after harvesting. The […]

How to Grow Oenothera Oenothera (ee-noth-er-a) From the Greek oinos, wine, and thera, pursuing or imbibing, the roots of one plant being thought to induce a thirst for wine (Onagraceae). A genus of 80 species of annuals, biennials and numerous […]

Parsnip Cultivation It is essential if you expect to produce good-sized specimens to trench the soil deeply so that the desirable, long, straight, unforked roots are produced. The large seeds are sown in 2.5cm (1 in) deep drills in small […]