As gardening enthusiasts prepare for the upcoming season, several exciting options are emerging for planting in gardens across various regions. This week, attention is drawn to a range of plants, including woodland strawberries, a diverse selection of tomatoes, and vibrant sunflowers, all of which promise to enhance outdoor spaces.
Woodland Strawberries: A Flavorful Addition
Woodland strawberries, scientifically known as Fragaria vesca, thrive in moist conditions and require ample sunlight for optimal fruit production. While these strawberries can tolerate some shade, they yield sweeter and more abundant fruit when exposed to full sun. This plant, which spreads easily through both rhizomes and stolons, produces smaller, yet distinctly flavorful berries. Due to their perishable nature, it is advisable to consume them shortly after harvesting.
Tomatomania: The Tomato Extravaganza
From February 27 to March 8, 2024, the renowned tomato event, Tomatomania, will take place at Roger’s Gardens in Corona Del Mar, California. This event features over 250 varieties of tomatoes and more than 100 types of peppers available for purchase. A highlight this year is the Sart Roloise, a Belgian beefsteak variety known for its ability to thrive in Southern California’s heat. Its flavor profile includes a low-acid blend of honey-like sweetness and hints of pineapple, making it an excellent choice for summer gardens.
Gardeners seeking to enhance their herb collection should consider Basil Treviso (Ocimum basilicum), which has recently received accolades from the National Garden Bureau. This basil variety resists bolting in hot weather, ensuring a prolonged growing season. Additionally, it is well known that the combination of tomatoes and basil is mutually beneficial. Basil not only shades the soil around tomato plants, helping to conserve moisture, but its strong aroma may also deter common pests such as whiteflies and aphids.
Sunflowers: Brighten Your Garden
The National Garden Bureau has named the Sunfinity Yellow-Red Bicolor sunflower as its outstanding annual flower for the year. This sunflower variety is notable for its continuous blooming from spring to fall, provided that faded flowers are trimmed back to the first leaf. Reaching a height of only four feet, it is well-suited for container gardening. Importantly, these flowers are sterile, which means they do not produce allergenic pollen, making them an attractive option for those with pollen sensitivities.
For those interested in unique gardening experiences, an all-in-one water garden is available at uniquegardener.com. This compact garden includes seeds of Crassula helmsii, also known as water jade, which germinates when submerged in water. The kit comes complete with small LED lights powered by batteries, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of any indoor space.
As gardening continues to capture the interest of many, these plants represent just a few of the numerous options available for creating vibrant, productive gardens. Whether one is interested in growing flavorful fruits, stunning flowers, or aromatic herbs, there are ample opportunities to cultivate a flourishing garden this season.
