Author: Julie Fryer

   This garden favorite is easy to grow and versatile in so many dishes, make sure you plant lots because you’ll always find a use for it! Basil can be started from seed directly in the garden but will take some time to harvest. Planting from seedling will give you quicker results. Basil prefers full sun, well-drained but consistently moist soil, and needs warmth to grow. If your soil dries out quickly, mulch around the base of the plant (be sure to choose organic mulch!). It does have a tendency to flower so be sure to trim off blossoms to promote growth (they are edible!). Not fussy, basil just needs regular watering and occasional fertilizer. The more you harvest, the faster it grows and will keep producing until the first heavy frost.

   Basil does not have many problems but will occasionally get aphids, fusarium or bacterial wilt,  mildew, and leaf spots. These are all easily avoided and handled so don’t be deterred from grow this great garden addition. This fantastic article from Clemson University Extension office covers common Basil problems in more detail.

Fun Basil Facts!

Mosquitoes hate the scent! Especially Lemon Basil and Cinnamon Basil – combine a few plants in your patio containers to keep the bugs away. The full foliage makes a nice addition to containers; just rustle the leaves for a burst of scent; and you’ll have ready access to herbs for dinner.   Old-time gardeners always planted basil near tomatoes, peppers, and asparagus to repel thrips and beetles. Folklore also goes that basil planted near tomatoes make the fruit sweeter. Definitely worth a try and you’ll need both ingredients for our killer Caprese recipe (here).

Harvesting and Cooking with Basil

   Basil can be harvested as needed but try to pick in the morning as the taste will be the sweetest. To pick, just snip leaves off the plant or cut a whole stem (the latter will cause plant to bush out more). Rinse leaves in cool water and spread on towels or use a salad spinner to dry out. If you aren’t using right away, submerge stems in water as with a flower bouquet until ready to use. Do not store in the refrigerator as this will affect taste. To strip leaves off stems, just hold upside and run fingers down the length of the branch.

   Basil is best used fresh and does not hold up well to cooking heat (so add to dishes at the very end of cooking time). It can be dried in a dehydrator or frozen for later use in marinades or sauces. To freeze basil, pack ice cube trays with chopped leaves and fill with olive oil – when thawed they make a great addition to dressings or sauces. Basil is also a great mix in to marinades, can be steeped in vinegar, and is a nice complement with “bitter” salad greens such as arugula.

Browse our selection of basil (and other herbs) here:

This may be surprising but there is a right (and wrong!) way to burn a jar candle. Here’s just a few tips to get the best results and longest burn time out of your candles:

1. During your first use, burn the candle long enough to liquefy the entire top layer of wax to prevent the formation of a dip or “wax memory ring”. If this depression forms, it will tunnel to the bottom of the candle and the outer edges will not burn. It will also cause the wick to eventually drown in the wax, making it difficult to keep lit.
2. After the first burn, keep the wick trimmed to ¼”. A perfectly-burning candle should not smoke, flare-up, or flicker. This means the wick is too long or the candle is placed in too strong of a draft. Short wicks also cannot flop over and get trapped in the wax as it cools.
3. Keep the wax pool free of debris such as matchheads or wick trimmings. Once the candle cools down, just screw the lid back on to protect the surface.
4. If keeping candles on your deck or patio, be sure they are not exposed to the hot sun. A normal sunny summer day is enough to melt the wax in the jar!
5. Always burn on a heatproof surface and away from potential fire hazards such as curtains or fabrics.

For best mosquito repelling, place candles within 6 feet of activity areas. Use multiple candles to ring your sitting areas for maximum coverage.

It doesn’t take much to create a butterfly-friendly garden! Try these quick tips for fast results:

1. Butterflies prefer red, yellow, orange, pink, or purple blossoms and need flat-topped, clustered, or short-tubed flowers so they can get at the nectar. A few good choices: Zinnia, Purple Coneflower; Lantana; and Coreopsis.
2. Butterflies also need native plants for all life stages – eggs, caterpillars, and new emerging butterflies are adapted to thrive with plants most likely found in their area. This is one reason Milkweed is so crucial to the Monarch migration. When planning the garden, combine plants for continuous bloom so butterflies will always find a food source.
3. Always avoid using chemicals (or choosing plants treated with chemicals such as neonicotinoids). These are toxic to many caterpillars and they will not survive once the eggs hatch.
4. Plant a variety of other flowers (and herbs) they can’t resist: Butterfly Bush; Sweet Alyssum; Wisteria; Hollyhocks; Sweet William; Red Bee Balm; Borage; Lavender; Chives; Allium; Phlox; and Butterfly Weed. These will call them in and they will stop by all your plants (pollinating each time!)
5. Butterflies love the sun! They need to warm their wings for flight and will happily sit on a flat rock in the sun to rest and warm up. They also generally prefer feeding in full sun during the heat of the day (from mid-morning to mid-afternoon).
6. Give them something to drink. Have you ever seen a group of butterflies gathered on wet sand or mud? They are extracting minerals and drinking water. You can recreate this by placing a layer of coarse sand in the shallow container (terracotta trays work well); keep the sand moist; and place where you see butterflies. Make sure to keep the sand moist but not submerged.
7. Resist the urge to clean out gardens in the Fall. Many caterpillars overwinter in a chrysalis so if you remove tall plants, you may also be taking with you the chrysalis. In addition, birds love to peck away at left over seeds during the winter so you’re helping other wildlife.

Want more great ideas on butterfly gardening? Visit your region’s Extension office or website for Zone-specific suggestions. One website we really love is the Clemson Cooperative Extension, found here.

Interested in adding butterfly-friendly plants to your garden? We still have some left! Those can be found here.

Milkweed grows in a sturdy upright pattern with large leaves that turn from light green to dark green and sometimes to red as they mature. The plant can reach up to six-feet tall and produces a multi-clustered pinkish purple flower that is typically as large as a tennis ball and blooms throughout the summer, if regularly pruned. In addition to Monarchs, many other pollinators will visit these flowers so this plant does well if combined with other flowering plants. If leaves or stalks are broken, they ooze a white, milky substance which gives the plant its name. Large oblong seed pods eventually form with a hard husky shell and are often used in dried floral arrangements. When broken open, the silky seeds will float all over and can be a bit messy.

Milkweed requires full sun, light soil, and can handle drier conditions once established. This plant is also perennial (assuming you choose a variety native to your region) and spreads rapidly through a rhizome or taproot growing out from the plant. Planting just a few plants this year will eventually help you establish a large patch over time and will require some cutting back if it outgrows your flowerbed.   While Milkweed will not fit every landscape design, there are many ways to include this amazing plant in your garden. Be creative and put the plant’s tall, sturdy structure to use to complement other more delicate plants. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Cottage Garden Design

The best and easiest way is to plant a cottage-style garden. These freeform gardens typically include hardy plants such as Hollyhocks, Tall Garden Phlox, Climbing Roses, and Daisies and it’s easy to tuck a few Milkweeds into that mix. As the summer goes, each plant will flower, inviting birds and butterflies from all over. Monarchs will feed from many different plants and you’ll most likely attract lots of other beneficial insects who’ll work hard to pollinate your garden or fruit trees.

Create a Corridor Rest Stop

Just a few plants placed together in a corner of your yard are enough to support quite a few Monarchs over the summer. Try a grouping around your mailbox or in an out-of-the-way strip such as along the back of your garage or near an alley. Because these plants are so hardy, you don’t have to worry about keeping them watered like many regular landscaping plants. And they’ll regrow from year to year so once you plant, you’ll always have milkweed for the Monarchs.

Go Big!

If you have a pasture, a roadside piece of land, or just an extra large backyard, consider building up a “native prairie” in your corner of the world. Start with lots of milkweed and add in other favorites pollinators such as Purple Coneflower or Black-Eyed Susans. Your local Extension office can help you pick out the right plants for your area, assist you to draw up a plan, and probably even help you source and buy the plants and seeds.

Get Milkweed for your garden here

Want to learn more about Monarchs? Click over to our article, “America’s Favorite Butterfly.”

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Monarchs are the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration. Most other butterflies are able to overwinter as larvae or pupae but Monarchs cannot survive the cold. Relying on environmental changes, they know when it’s time to head South and will travel between 50 and 100 miles per day, taking up to two months to reach their winter home in Mexico or Southern California. They start returning to the Southern U.S. in late February, making pit stops along the way to refuel and reproduce. Over the course of the summer and their travels, they will produce four generations of Monarchs, each one travelling further North. The fourth generation does not reproduce the first year and are the ones who travel to overwinter and restart the cycle in the Spring.

During the summer breeding season, the life cycle of a Monarch lasts for two to five weeks and goes from an amazing transformation from a tiny egg to a gorgeous butterfly. Because caterpillars are so easy to find, raising them “by hand” is very easily done in a large fish tank as long as you can feed them fresh milkweed every day.

Do You Want to Learn More?

The good news with this story is that the U.S. government and educational institutions are taking the declining Monarch population seriously and are actively working to help. From offering Monarch habitat ideas to creating school projects for teaching kids, start your search at these fantastic resources to learn more.

National Park Service Monarchs and Milkweed Video (click here)

Monarch Joint Venture (click here)

A large conglomeration of federal and state agencies, prominent Universities, and private nonprofits, you’ll find a wealth of information here as well as links to other sites for active learning and registration as Monarch Waystation.

USDA Monarch Page (click here)

This United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service website has detailed Monarch information in addition to general pollinator gardening tips and a thorough list of additional resources for adults and kids.

Save The Monarch (click here) 

Another great resource with some really beautiful videos, this United States Fish & Wildlife Service website connects you with other organizations and detailed plans on how you can help the butterflies. If you’d like to watch a video about saving the Monarchs at Yosemite, click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3jpu2th34o).

Changing the World, One Yard at a Time.

While there is disagreement about many environmental issues these days, everyone agrees that the plight of the Monarch is a reflection on the health of our North American landscape and its pollinators. The same stressors causing harm to Monarch habitat also affect plants, animals, and critical food pollinators such as honeybees. By doing your part with just a few Milkweed plants, this valuable resource can be reshaped one yard at a time! If you’d like to learn more about planting Milkweed in your garden, click over to our blog posts “How to Grow Milkweed.“

And get them from our store.

   Not all seed starter pots are created equal! Some like plastic or peat are hard on the environment while others are not so great for the seedlings. Luckily innovators have come up with a great alternative that’s friendly to the planet and tender seedlings.

Peat Pots are not Eco-Friendly.

   Peat pots are made from material dug out of peat bogs. This harvest destroys these important wetland ecosystems which purify water; mitigate flooding and erosion; and function as the Earth’s most efficient carbon sink. Peat bogs also house rare wildlife species and native plants and, because of their highly acidic nature, provide an irreplaceable ecological record dating back 10,000 years.

Scientists consider peatlands to be as important to our planet’s health as rainforests and their harvest releases Co2 into the environment contributing to increased global warming. 

EcoPaper Pots are Better for the Planet.

Made from 100% North American recycled paper, EcoPaper Pots a much more environmentally-friendly and sustainable alternative to peat or plastic.

They’re 100% biodegradable and, like mulch, naturally break down after transplanting helping to build the quality of garden soil.

Nothing is destroyed in the manufacturing process but instead these seedling pots become part of the recycling process, reusing materials already in the system.

Also Better for the Seedling.

EcoPaper pots are naturally permeable and porous so roots can breathe; water can soak through; and pots will not become moldy or soggy like peat or plastic pots. They naturally decompose so there is no need to remove the plant from the pot when transplanting. This means less stress on the tender root system giving each plant a great head start to becoming a strong, fruitful producer.

Starting Seeds is Better for your Garden.

Starting plants from seed gives you total control over the entire process. You choose: the seed attributes (heirloom, organic, saved from last season): the inputs (organic soil and fertilizer choices): and exact planting time for your conditions. Homegrown plants have no exposure to nursery pests or diseases so all of your garden plants are protected.

The birds, bees, and insects who visit your garden are also protected because you can choose native species (rarely found at big nurseries) and eliminates pesticides, herbicides, and the especially deadly neonicotinoids from the beginning.

Ready to start growing? Browse our seed starting pots here.

Would you like to learn more about starting seeds at home? Click here for access to our Garden Guide library.

Just like people, garden vegetable plants grow best when they’re with friends! If you struggle with pests, critters, or even want a better crop, companion gardening can help! For instance, did you know that bee balm and mint planted near tomatoes will enhance the flavor? 

Gardeners have been using companion planting for centuries as a natural approach to harnessing each plant’s unique qualities to mutually benefit each other. There are hundreds of combinations to try (or avoid) so knowing the family of your plant is a good start (for example, broccoli and cabbage are from the same family so they have the same likes and dislikes). Also, knowing your garden helps determine the problems that need fixing (for instance, not all gardens have trouble with cutworms). The easiest approach to companion gardening is to plant flowers and veggies in a haphazard way. No long rows, no big patches of one plant, just all jumbled together in your plot. This confuses insects and critters as they’re looking for their favorite treat and effectively camouflages plants from their enemies!

A little more specific approach depends on your garden so we’ll get you started with just a few of our favorites. It’s a great idea to consult a thorough gardening guide or books like the Farmer’s Almanac and look up the plants you want to include.

Here are five companion ideas for your garden:

Repel insects. Plant chives at the base of your rose bushes to repel aphids or radishes near your cucumbers to deter beetles.

Maintain soil health. Corn is a notorious user of nitrogen so plant beans alongside the corn to help protect and replenish the soil.

Provide a structure for climbing vines. Plant vining cucumbers next to sweetcorn or popcorn. The two plants will not compete for root space, the vines have support from the corn stalks, and the cukes will be done producing by the time you need to pick the corn. 

Shade tender plants or create shade to keep weed growth down. Plant spinach or arugula in between rows of onion sets. The greens grow early and deter weed growth while the onions mature after the greens have been harvested.

Friends and enemies. Beans like cabbage, carrots, pea, or marigolds but hate onions or garlic. Cucumbers like cabbage and tomatoes but hate sage. Lettuce loves beets, carrots, and chives. Tomatoes love cukes, parsley, and peppers but not kohlrabi, mature dill, or corn.

Tip: By deterring bad bugs and building soil health naturally, you’ll also decrease your garden’s dependence on pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizer.

Shop our Pepper Collection Here (All are included in the Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale!).

Whether it’s salsa or chili con carne, doesn’t it sometimes seem like a shot-in-the-dark when you’re adding hot peppers? As you’re carefully chopping and mixing, you’re always wondering if the salsa is going to end up bland or flaming hot and you won’t really know until it’s all put together and ready to eat. Of course, a few surprises are fun in life but picking the right type of pepper will help you take the guesswork out of home cooking and gardening.

To begin your pepper education, we’d like to introduce you to the Scoville Heat Unit Scale (SHU). Every pepper is measured for hotness against this scale. A score of zero means no hotness at all and as the SHU rises so does the pepper’s temperature. This fluctuates according to many factors including: the weather during growth, how long the pepper was left on the vine (it gets sweeter and hotter with time), if it’s cooked with fatty foods or served with dairy products (which will lessen some of the heat); or if it’s eaten raw or cooked (cooking will break down the meat and tamp down the heat).

If you’ve used Jalapenos before, use that as your benchmark of hotness (it comes in at around 5,000 SHU). So for instance, one tablespoon of chopped Devil’s Tongue will be about 35 times hotter than one tablespoon of chopped Jalapeno. Of course, if the spoonful you eat has a lot of that tablespoon, it will be hot! When you start working with the really hot peppers, remember they will quickly add heat to your dish – start small and add more until you get to your desired taste. It’s much easier to add than to take away!

Always wear gloves – all parts of the pepper are hot but the inside membranes and juices are the hottest. Even with gloves on, don’t touch your face, eyes, or nose. Keep milk on hand, too, as it will kill the burn much faster than water. Along with heat, each pepper has a unique flavor and color. Bell peppers have sweet and meaty flesh and are perfect for crunch and color; rubbed with olive oil and grilled whole; or sautéed and added to tomato sauce. Their sweet flavor and pretty colors only intensify if left on the vine to turn from green to yellow to orange to red. Chile peppers, too, come in a wide range of colors and the less hot versions can be made into lovely relishes, pickled with onions, or added to burgers or shishkabobs.

Peppers are also quite nutritious: a one-cup serving of raw green peppers has 3 grams of fiber; 220% of your daily Vitamin C needs; 20% of Vitamins B6 and A; and is a good source of Vitamin E. Many varieties, such as the Chocolate Beauty with its lovely deep brown fruit, also lend themselves well to patio pots or landscape plantings.