The hunt for exoplanets that resemble Earth is today’s biggest astronomy obsession, the way “Canals on Mars’ was the headliner a century ago. We know that our galaxy is brimming with planets as researchers have already found thousands of exoplanets.

In the past year alone, a supposed “Earth twin” was found orbiting a star 1400 light years away. But if we dig deeper, the true hidden allure in the search for Earth-like planets is the tacit desire to find extraterrestrial life.

Another Earth

We all know there’s just one planet with an Eiffel Tower and a MacDonalds quarter pounder. So why does “another Earth” have a familiar ring? 

The public adores the notion of “Earth-like planets,” and the hope of finding ET life is the engine driving that train. The honest-to-goodness major discoveries in that area were:

1. The first exoplanet was found orbiting a star in Pegasus two decades ago. 
2. Discovering thousands more of all kinds, letting us know our galaxy has at least 20 billion Earth-sized planets in comfortable regions.

Those are the important takeaways. 

The next potentially big news would be discovering either radio signals signifying intelligence or else free oxygen in a planet’s atmosphere, indicating plant life. Nothing else matters very much. Having Earth-size and a comfortable orbit isn’t enough to draw any conclusions about life.

As for life, perhaps we needn’t travel very far. We might want to fast-track a mission to Jupiter’s moons. At least two of them have warm, life-friendly, saltwater oceans!

Earth-Like Planets

In our present hunt for exoplanets—bodies circling other stars—some researchers consider a planet Earth-like if it orbits at the correct distance from its parent star to permit liquid surface water. After all, life begins in our own oceans, so water has stirring implications.

But when you hear or read that term, be aware that other astronomers call a planet “Earth-like” if it merely possesses a size similar to ours. Or it is smallish and has a moderate temperature, like Mars. 

Our first point, then, is that we ought to obtain lots more information before we truly get excited.

What About Kepler 452B?

In truth, this exoplanet, named Kepler 452b, has five times the mass of Earth, a 50% larger diameter, and twice our gravity. Not remotely an Earth twin. It’s a coin toss whether it even has a rocky surface instead of being a gas world like Neptune. It probably didn’t deserve the front page.

An artist compares Earth to this new planet (called Kepler 452b). Source: NASA

How Many Earth-Like Planets Are There?

Since we started finding planets in the 1990s, we know there are millions of Earth-mass planets in our galaxy’s comfort zones. However, back then, our technology could only detect huge bodies orbiting low-mass stars because we could only discover something if it were sufficiently tugging on its parent star to make it reliably wiggle.

So, we spotted lots of these giant planets and used simple logic. Nature always creates more small things than big ones. More minnows than whales. More viruses than linebackers. So, finding 500 Jupiters meant that many unseen Earths must be there too, and probably a fifth of them would lie at comfortable-temperature distances from their parent star.

Newer technologies soon let us find smaller bodies, and sure enough, Earth-mass planets have abundantly popped up. We’ve already cataloged over a thousand.

Now that we’ve discovered 5,616 confirmed exoplanets around other stars, we need to find one that’s Earth-like enough to have life. And finally, with the James Webb telescope, we have a realistic chance of accomplishing this.

But given all the possible curveballs of false Earths, what should you be on the lookout for? We’ve now reached the practical heart of the matter, which is: how to recognize the real deal.

What Makes Exoplanets Habitable?

You want the exoplanet to be not too hot nor too cold. But you shouldn’t care whether it matches Earth’s size.

You’re really looking for the announcement of air around that world that contains a very specific substance. That’s because life always changes its environment. A few types of molecules simply wouldn’t be there if life didn’t have a hand in the process.

Here on Earth, and probably everywhere else, the main one is oxygen. It’s an element that promiscuously likes to combine with almost anything. So, all our surface silicon has become a silicon-oxygen compound called silica, which fills our vast deserts. Our carbon shows itself mostly as carbon dioxide. With dozens of elements eagerly grabbing free oxygen, we might legitimately wonder how there’s any left to float around by itself to make up 21% of our air.

The only explanation is that something is continually replenishing it. Something’s creating and releasing oxygen in an ongoing process. That “something” is the enormous terrestrial plant and tree community including oceanic plankton, which takes in carbon dioxide, uses the carbon to create their crunchy bodies including tree trunks, and releases the oxygen nonstop.

If we detect oxygen in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, we can be pretty sure it’s a place with life or at least plant life. Other molecules would be good news, too, like methane and water vapor. But oxygen would sit atop anyone’s list.

Is There Another Planet Like Earth?

“Another Earth” cannot be something nearby. We learned that over a century ago. We know a lot about our solar system, and nothing around here even has a surface where anyone can breathe.

Most people assume life will be found on the surface of an Earth-mass planet because that’s where we live, and we’re not very imaginative. But the likeliest known place for life right now is on Jupiter’s moon Europa, simply because it’s the nearest place with subsurface oceans. Its seas are even warm saltwater. Yet Europa isn’t anywhere near our solar system’s “comfort zone.” So, our long-held opening-act assumptions already seem unduly limited in scope.

Much revolves around the issue of how common life might be.

Chromosomes and DNA are so complex, and the assembly of amino acids into proteins so intricate, the standard assumption that life is created by random chemical activity may seem as silly as it did to physicist Fred Hoyle in 1982 when he compared it with a tornado sweeping through a junkyard and assembling a functioning jetliner. 

On the other hand, the panspermia idea suggests that perhaps microbial life roams the universe hiding in meteoroid cracks and rains down on countless young planets, ready to propagate wherever conditions are favorable. In which case, life may be abundant.

The bottom line is an interesting disconnect: Most laypeople find the Earth-like planet search riveting, while some astrophysicists have told me: “Just in our own galaxy, millions of planets share our mass and temperature. If someone wants to seek out and create long lists of them, go right ahead.” It’s valid science.

But let’s jump ahead and do something here that, bewilderingly, no one seems to have thought of. Namely, anticipate the next move.

What’s Next

After finding atmospheric signs of life, the immediate problem becomes a very big one. Simply put, we’d be unable to obtain any additional knowledge. Through our greatest telescopes in space or on Earth, the clearest possible exoplanet image would show it as a single pixel, a dot.

No future instrument would let us get any sort of hint about what form the life there has taken. All plants? A mix like here? Any intelligent creatures? We’d need a space probe to go there to orbit or land and send back images and information. 

Alas, even a relatively nearby exoplanet would require thousands of years to get there. Until then, we’d know there’s life but all else would be speculative. Would that be fun? Or would it be impossibly frustrating?

This is why finding evidence of life – which will almost surely happen in our lifetimes – will predictably result in several thousand years of nerve-wracking inconclusiveness. I may be the only one here who’s somewhat dreading that first announcement and probably should see a therapist.

Happily, we’re seeing more biodegradable planting pots. They make growing seeds easy, and the pots can go right in the ground! Here are 10 types of biodegradable pots—plus, see how to make your own!

As much as we would like to see plastic plant pots being recycled, tons of them end up in landfills and incinerators every year. That leads many of us to look for alternative containers in which to start our spring seedlings. In shopping, please note that there are three ways that eco-friendly pots are described:

1. Plantable: This means that you can put the pots right in the ground, plant and all, and the roots will penetrate through the pot into the surrounding soil as the pot breaks down. 
2. Biodegradable: These pots eventually break down and seem to disappear to the naked eye, but depending on what they were made of, they may leave harmful residues behind, so look for ones that are certified organic.
3. Compostable: This is another category. These pots eventually break down into humus and leave no toxic residue. Some compostable pots take a long time to break down, though, so be aware that they are not actually considered plantable. It is best to remove the plants and add the empty pots to your compost pile to break down.

10 Types of Eco-Friendly Garden Pots

There are many types of pots to choose from, from paper to cow manure!

1. Peat Pots 

Peat pots have been around for years, but there is some controversy about how sustainable a product they are. Like oil, there is a finite amount of peat in the world. Even though it is considered by many to be renewable, it takes a long time. Peat develops at a rate of 1 inch every 15 to 25 years. Most of the peat used in the US is harvested in Canada. If you choose to use peat, the pots are totally plantable and come in a wide range of sizes and types, from Jiffy7 pellets to strips of square cells to individual pots.

2. Coconut Coir 

Coconut coir is starting to be used as a peat substitute. Once considered agricultural waste, the fibrous husks of coconuts are molded into pots or finely shredded and used as a planting medium. Coir pots are also plantable since roots can easily pass between the fibers.

3. Feather Pots

Feather pots are another agricultural waste product. Poultry farmers in the US generate about 4 billion pounds of chicken feathers each year. A clean and sustainable source of the protein keratin, the feathers can be shredded and made into light, durable pots that can be composted when empty.

4. Fertilpots 

Fertilpots are made from a mixture of 80% spruce fibers and 20% peat. They are biodegradable but don’t contain any glue or binders and are certified organic. Plant roots can penetrate the sides of the pot so they can be planted pot and all. They are made in France, so they do have to travel to get to a US distributor in PA. They are available from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

5. Eco-Forms 

Eco-Forms are containers made from grain husks - primarily rice hulls - and starch-based binders, which are heated and pressed to make them hold together. They make a range of pots, from practical ones for professional growers to dressy-looking ones in many colors for home gardeners. These pots will last for 5 years and can withstand freezing and thawing. They are not meant to be planted in the ground, but they are biodegradable and can be composted. They are made in China.

6. EnviroArc 

EnviroArc is a biodegradable pot from Australia. It is made from bamboo pulp, rice hulls, wheat straw, and cornstalks - all organically grown on their own farms. These pots last 18 to 24 months but will break down in less than 6 months when composted. They offer a wide range of sizes and colors.

7. Western Pulp 

Western Pulp makes a molded fiber pot from recycled paper. These are heavy-duty containers, and tender plants will not be able to push their roots through them. You are advised to gently tear away the pots from the rootball before planting, then compost the container. They are made in the USA but are not certified organic.

8. Paper Pots

Paper pots are not a new idea; for years, many of us have been making our own pots out of old newspapers. Strips of paper can be wrapped around a cylindrical form and folded over on the bottom to form a little cup. These can be filled with soil and used to grow transplants for the garden. They are fragile, especially when wet, so try to avoid handling them too much. They can be planted pot and all and break down fast in your soil. Cardboard toilet paper and paper towel tubes can be turned into pots for seedlings, and fiber egg cartons can also be used.

9. Soil Blocks

One kind of pot is no pot at all. Soil blocks are another old practice that is regaining popularity. Simply use a form to compress potting soil into blocks that can be used for direct seeding, transplanting, or growing cuttings. Care must be taken to keep the blocks intact until they can be planted. Forms of different sizes are available from Johnny’s.

10. CowPot

My favorite eco-friendly container is the CowPot. As a former dairy farmer, I applaud the innovative approach brothers Matt and Ben Freund of CT have taken to find ways to maximize the use of all that manure cows generate. Along with solar panels, they use methane gas from manure to power their farm. The liquids left over from that process are used as fertilizer, and the solids are composted and then molded along with recycled newsprint into plant pots. The pots can withstand about 3 months of use in the greenhouse but will dissolve within 4 weeks of being planted in the ground. Because of the nutrients from the manure in the pots, plants have been proven to grow larger than those grown in plastic. They are made right on the farm.

3 DIY Ways to Make Biodegradable Planting Pots

If you’re thinking about starting a lot of seeds, make biodegradable seed pots out of recycled materials. They’re easy to make, and they can be transplanted right into the ground when the time comes. Plus, they’re economical! Seed trays and pots can be expensive, and as they’re usually made of plastic, they’re not always very environmentally friendly. The good news is, that it’s easy to make your own from nothing more than egg boxes, toilet paper tubes, and newspaper.

Newspaper Pots

To make paper pots, you’ll need an old newspaper (not a glossy magazine, as this will take a long time to rot down and may be printed with inks containing traces of toxic heavy metals), a pair of scissors, and a jar or glass to use as a mold. Follow the instructions below to make your newspaper pot:

1. Cut your newspaper into strips about 1 inch (3cm) taller than your jar.
2. Fold a flap along the length of a strip, then unfold the flap to leave a crease.
3. Lay your jar on the newspaper at one end of the strip so that the open end sticks out.
4. Tightly roll the strip around the jar.
5. Holding the paper closed, turn the jar on its end.
6. Fold the loose ends of the paper in to create the base, and push them down.
7. Pinch along the edges to firm them up.
8. Holding the bottom flaps, pull out the jar and firm up the base.
9. Fold the top of the paper along the crease you made earlier – this creates the rim of your pot.
Once filled with potting soil, the pot will become more stable, but it’s best to also nestle your pots side by side in a tray to keep them secure once the paper is wet.

At planting time, dig a hole into prepared soil and plant your seedling, including the pot – the paper will biodegrade within a few weeks.

Toilet Paper Tube Pots

Cut toilet paper tubes in half for most seedlings, or leave them whole for plants that need more root space – peas, corn, and tomatoes, for instance. Alternatively, cut down paper towel tubes to the desired length.

Making a toilet paper tube seed pot is even easier than making a newspaper pot!

1. Cut four equally-spaced inch-long slits into one end of the toilet paper tube.
2. Fold the flaps down, alternating the tucks to create a strong interlocking base.
3. Fill with potting soil, and sow your seeds into it.

Set the tubes in trays so that they don’t fall apart as the cardboard softens. As the seedlings grow, their roots will help hold the potting soil together. You can also group pots together using string or rubber bands.

Cardboard tubes rot down more slowly than newspaper, but roots will find their own way out of the pot eventually. However, you can peel off the cardboard before planting if you prefer – it peels away very easily when wet.

Egg Crate Seed Trays

Using cardboard egg crates is the simplest method of all.

1. Cut off the lid.
2. Put the lid underneath the base for additional strength.
3. Fill the compartments with potting soil, and sow!

Be aware that the roots of some crops will soon become constricted in egg crates, so they should only be used for crops that will quickly be moved on or planted out.

When you’re ready to plant your seedlings out, egg carton cells are easily torn apart when damp. Make sure to also rip away the base of each cell to help the roots escape into the soil.

→ Learn how to start your seeds.

→ Learn more about plastic-free gardening.

Whatever you choose to raise your plants in, have fun watching them grow from tiny seeds into strong, healthy starts for your garden!

Whether a plant is an annual, a perennial, or a biennial can be confusing! It all depends on the plant’s life cycle and, practically speaking, how long it lives! However, it can also depend on where you live.

Let’s learn about the difference between annual vs. perennial plants and why you might choose one for your garden.

What Is the Difference Between Annual, Perennial, and Biennial Plants?

Annual Plants are a type of plant that live for just one season. In that brief period, they germinate, grow, flower, and set seeds for next year’s plants—mission accomplished! Unless they self-seed, they will need to be replanted every year.

Perennial Plants are the mainstay of many gardens. Plant them once, and they will return each year, bigger and better, until you finally accept that they need to be reined in. Not all perennials have the same lifespan. Some, such as lupine, columbine, delphiniums, and heuchera, are short-lived, lasting only three to five years.

Biennial Plants take two years to complete their life cycle. Some of the most popular biennials include Forget-me-nots and money plants.

Comparison Chart

There are advantages and disadvantages to growing annuals versus perennials. Let’s dig into this interesting topic.

Annual Plants

Annuals live for just one season. However, they supply you with a wealth of blossoms all season long. They are great fillers to pep up a tired-looking landscape during a lull in perennial flowering.

Pros

Planting annuals allows you to change the look of your garden from year to year. Pastel pinks and blue flowers one summer can be replaced with hot reds and oranges the next! What fun!

If you are starting a new garden from scratch, annuals can give you instant color while the newly planted perennials and shrubs get settled in. 

Annuals are also great for cutting gardens, giving you tons of blossoms to enjoy inside and share with friends. They also are the best for containers, windowboxes, and hanging baskets. 

Popular Annuals

Many annuals are easily grown from seed:

• Zinnias
• Marigolds
• Cosmos
• Poppies
• Sunflowers
• Calendula
• Nasturtiums

For more about the value of annual flowers, see this post.

Perennial Plants

Perennials are the mainstay of many gardens. Many perennial plants are easy-going and will happily bloom in most situations. Unlike annuals, very few perennials will bloom constantly. Pay attention to bloom times so everything in your garden does not blossom at once and then is done for the season, leaving you with a garden of leaves. Foliage can have interesting colors and textures, but we all love flowers!

Not all perennials have the same lifespan. Some, such as lupine, columbine, delphiniums, and heuchera, are short-lived, lasting only 3 to 5 years before weakening and disappearing. 

If you have lost any of the short-lived perennial plants, it was not your fault. They are not programmed to last forever. On the other hand, peonies, daylilies, hostas, irises, and New England asters are just a few of the long-lived perennials that will last for generations if given proper care!

Popular Perennials

Look for popular, low-maintenance ones like:

• Yarrow
• Coreopsis
• Coneflowers
• Bee balm
• Black-eyed Susans
• Daisies
• Phlox
• Sedum
• Goldenrod
• Russian sage
• Catmint

When shopping for perennials to add to your landscape, ensure they are appropriate for your location. Does it get the right amount of sun? What is the soil like? Some like moist soil, while others hate wet feet, and some, such as succulents and cacti, need dry soil. 

To be sure a perennial is hardy enough to survive the winter, it helps to know your hardiness zone. Go to this page to find your zone by zip code. Cold isn’t always a bad thing. Some plants actually need a period of cold to initiate bud formation. 

Peonies, lilacs, and many fruit trees won’t bloom if they haven’t had a certain number of days below 32 degrees.

In the South, it helps to know your heat zone as well since some plants like it hot while others do not. Developed by the American Horticultural Society, heat zones track the average number of days above 86 degrees. Find your area on this map.

When Is a Perennial Not Perennial?

Tender perennials and tropicals are often considered as annuals.

Sometimes, a plant that might be perennial in a warmer climate is sold as an annual since cold weather will kill it, and it won’t come back next year. Some examples are petunias, geraniums, lantana, or impatiens, and even some vegetables such as peppers are tender perennials.

They will survive the winter only if you bring them indoors and grow them as houseplants until the weather warms and they can go outside again.

Biennial Plants

Biennials are plants that take two years to complete their life cycle. The money plant (Lunaria) is a great example. In the first year, it was a rough-looking, ground-hugging plant. In the early spring of its second year, it sends up a tall flower stalk with lovely purple blossoms.

Money plant flowers give way to flat circular seed pods that we let dry on the plant until late summer. The outer coverings can be pulled off, revealing the shiny silver inner membrane that holds the seeds. Gather the seeds to scatter where you want new plants, or let them drop from the old plant naturally. Next spring, the two-year process will start all over again.

Popular Biennial Plants

Popular biennials include:

• Forget-me-nots
• Foxglove
• Sweet William
• Most hollyhocks.

Our Advice

Don’t think of it as annuals vs. perennials! Grow a mix of annuals, perennials, and biennials to keep your garden blooming from early spring until frost. Making good use of the vast diversity the plant world offers is the key to having an interesting and colorful garden!

Ever harvested your own sunflower seeds? I mostly give my sunflower heads to the chickens and birds, but you can also harvest seeds from homegrown sunflowers to roast and enjoy yourself! Here’s how.

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are native annual flowers that come in many different colors and patterns. Some reach for the heavens with one thick stem, putting all their energy into a single giant flower. Others spread out with many branches, inviting you to pick them so that they can “come again.”

Many single-stem sunflower varieties are really quick to bloom, needing just 60 days from the seeding date to reach harvestability. Make sure that you are making the most out of your sunflowers!

Isn’t it amazing to think that these giant flower heads start from one little seed?!

About Sunflower Seeds and Oils

Sunflower seeds contain many nutrients, and the best seeds come fresh from the flower head. They’re packed with calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. However, they are very fragile once they have been removed from their shells, so always purchase them in the shell or from a refrigerated source.

Sunflower oil is one of the few vegetable oils that is fairly stable. I use sunflower oil in my mayonnaise. The truly stable ones come in a dark bottle, are cold-pressed, and are unrefined. Once opened, the bottle should be refrigerated to avoid rancidity.

When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

It’s important to recognize when the sunflower seeds are close to harvest. Here are the cues:

• The large heads begin to droop and turn down. The backside of the head should turn yellow-brown. If it’s still green, it’s not close to ready.
• The tiny petals covering the developing seeds have dried and fallen off, exposing tightly packed mature seeds. If most of the petals are still attached, leave the sunflower alone.
• The seeds are hardened and turn black with white stripes. If they are still milky white, they are not mature. Pull a few seeds to see if they have developed.
• The foliage has turned yellow.

While you wait for your sunflowers to mature enough to harvest, protect them from critters. Once you notice the petals wilting, cover the sunflower heads with brown paper bags, fine netting, mesh, perforated plastic bags, or cheesecloth. Use a twist tie or rubber band to secure the bag so the seeds don’t fall out. 

How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

It’s best to wait and let the seeds dry completely on the stem. Then, just cut the stem an inch below the heads.

But some folks want to beat the critters and dry indoors. In this case, cut the stalks about a foot below the heads when the outer seeds are mature and hang the heads upside down in a warm, dry place that is well-ventilated and protected from rodents and insects. Keep the heads covered as described above.

When the seeds are thoroughly dried (after a few weeks), dislodge them by rubbing two heads together, rubbing the seeds with your hand, or using a stiff brush. Dislodge them over a big bucket. Allow the seeds to dry overnight on a paper towel.

Eating and Roasting Seeds

Once dried, you can eat the seeds alone, mixed with dried fruit, added to salads, or even used in place of nuts for baking—store seeds in airtight glass jars in the refrigerator to retain flavor.  

Roast the seeds to enhance their flavor, lightly brown them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 300°F for about 15 minutes. We have also heard that many of our readers have successfully roasted sunflower seeds in the air fryer! Try this method by air frying them at 350° for 7 to 8 minutes and giving the basket a shake when they are halfway done.

You can eat the seeds on their own, or use them in your favorite recipes. We love incorporating our freshly roasted seeds into the Soft and Chewy Granola Bars and the Chicken Salad with Rice, Oranges, and Snow Peas. 

Seeds for Chicken Feed

I always give the seed heads to my chickens. As the seeds mature, I cut the heads off of the plants and, with a gloved hand, I rub the now dry brown “fuzz” off of the seeds. I then place them where they will dry. This includes my oven that has a pilot light and my picnic table when the sun is on it.

Once the back is truly dry, I place them in bags upstairs. These I feed to the chickens when it snows. As they refuse to go outside during these storms, I give them some sunflower heads and a few pumpkins or squashes so that they will have something to peck on besides each other.

Sunflowers as Cut Flowers

Sunflowers also make excellent cut flowers. Many times, they do need to be wired so that their heads look straight ahead. Getting the wire from a florist, put it right through the thick neck, bringing it into the middle, then twist both sides down the stem. They generally like a prominent placement if you put them in a mixed bouquet. They definitely can capture the audience’s attention!

Occasionally, a sunflower will act like it’s on steroids. I guess that’s what happened to this one!

Learn more about how to plant and grow sunflowers by referring to the Almanac’s Sunflower Growing Guide. 

By this time of year, the spring crop of radishes have likely all been picked; it’s too hot for snap peas, and the cilantro is blooming. Here are a few speedy vegetables to plant in early summer!

As you harvest any spring crops, do not let those gaps in the garden sit empty; they’ll only fill up with weeds! To get the most from your garden, break out the seeds and pop in a few wherever you find an open spot.

Here are some summer vegetables that don’t take too long to mature. In late summer, as your spring-planted veggies are winding down, these new recruits will still be going strong.

Vegetables to Plant in Summer

• Bush beans are perfect for early- to mid-summer planting. Many varieties mature in 50 to 60 days and will supply you with tender new beans until frost takes them out in the fall.

• Cucumbers and summer squash don’t take long to produce fruits when planted in the warm soil of early to mid-summer. Planting later into the summer can also help you avoid the worst of pests, such as squash bugs and squash vine borers.

• Greens that can stand up to heat, like chard or kale, can grow in place of heat-sensitive lettuce and spinach.

• Radishes add pep to any meal. Many red radishes are ready to eat in as little as 25 days. For something different, try white daikon, watermelon radish, or black Spanish.
• Root crops, including beets, carrots, turnips, and rutabaga, can be directly seeded in the heat of summer and will be ready in time for a fall crop. Maturing in the cooler days of fall improves their flavor. (Learn more about planting fall crops!)
• Herbs like basil, dill, and cilantro don’t take long to grow enough leaves to pick for garnishing summer meals and can be planted at 2-week intervals throughout the summer. Nothing beats the flavor of dill on new potatoes, a chiffonade of basil on pasta salad, or fresh cilantro in your favorite salsa.

• Flowers are food for the soul—and the pollinators! If you have spots in the garden that need a dash of color, try planting edible flowers like calendula or nasturtiums. Their large seeds germinate fast.

Fill in all those spring gaps for a summer refresh!

Learn More

• See the Almanac’s Library of Vegetable Growing Guides for an abundance of planting and harvesting information.
• Here’s a helpful video showing some fast-growing vegetables.
• See our Top 10 Vegetables to Start from Seed.

With Fall just around the corner, the sun is riding lower in the sky, casting longer shadows on the garden. One plant that welcomes the extra coolness and shade is the hosta.

Hostas is the unsung hero of the shady garden. There are 70 species of hostas and over 3,000 registered varieties, so you have lots to choose from. Though they do bloom, they are grown primarily for their beautiful foliage, which adds interesting texture and color to the garden all season long.

Types of Hostas

Many varieties have wonderfully fragrant blossoms, especially Hosta plantaginea known as the August lily. I have one called ‘Aphrodite,’ known for its extremely fragrant white flowers. Long after the other hostas’ blossoms have faded, their double flowers perfume the evening air. Even though August is over, my August lily is only in bud. Hopefully, it will blossom soon!

What do garden nuts do on their vacations? Visit other gardens, of course!

Every year, I pilgrimage to the NH seacoast to check out the plants at Prescott Park. They have a display garden that includes many All-America Selections plants and other well-marked favorites, allowing me to see how they’re holding up in this dry summer. It also has beautiful formal gardens and a special collection of hostas donated by Anna Kay of Birchwood Farms.

Even though it has been brutally hot and dry this season, most of the hostas look great. I am always intrigued by the variations of color and leaf shapes. The names also add to the fun. What would you call a hosta with thin leaves and serrated edges? How about ‘Hacksaw’? Another one with narrow leaves and ruffled edges called ‘Curly Fries’ was named the 2016 Hosta of the Year.

‘Midnight at the Oasis’ has a cool, refreshing look.

’Rich Uncle’ is gold with thick, large leaves that look like they have been quilted. ‘Paradigm’ is similarly textured but is gold with wide green edges.

‘Clear Fork River Valley’ is also heavily quilted or corrugated-looking.

Other large-leaved varieties are called ‘Titanic’ and ‘Blue Mammoth.’ On the opposite end of the size spectrum are the tiny ones such as 10-inch tall, almost white ‘Vanilla Cream’ and 3-inch tall miniature hosta ‘Pandora’s Box.’ 

My favorite has to be ‘Eternal Flame’ with its pointy, heart-shaped leaves. It has a feeling of movement.

Growing Hostas

Hostas require little care and are very long-lasting. An inch or two of compost spread in the spring before the shoots emerge will keep your plants well-fed. They are able to shade out most weeds, keeping maintenance to a minimum. Unfortunately, the moist, rich soil and cool shade that combine to bring out the best in a hosta also make the ideal environment for slugs. Hostas with heavily textured leaves tend to be more slug-resistant than smooth-leaved varieties.

Made in the Shade

To avoid the “hosta ghetto” look in your shady garden, plant them in combination with other shade-loving plants such as coleus, New Guinea impatiens, torenia, begonias, fuchsia, and sweet potato vine.

Hostas also are great to plant in combination with spring flowering bulbs because they will cover the tired-looking bulb foliage with their late emerging leaves. Since hostas die back to the ground in the winter they make excellent foundation plants for a shady deck or porch where ice and snow would damage shrubs.

Learn more about how to plant and care for hostas.

Do you love hostas? What is your favorite variety? Tell us in the comments!

We love fall gardening! The heat is waning but the soil is still warm. There are just three steps to consider in planting a fall garden: when to plant, what to plant, and where to plant. Let’s get started!

Why Plant a Fall Garden

Fall gardening is much less stressful for many crops, shrubs, trees, and perennials. There are fewer weeds and pests, and it’s often rainier, so there is less need to water as often. 

• In temperate parts of the country (USDA zones 4 to 8), planting can continue into November and December, especially crops like spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, and kale!
• In colder climates, some of these same vegetables are frost-tolerant. Many crops taste better after a frost or two.

As soon as your spring and summer crops stop producing, pull them and make room for all those delicious fall crops! There are just three steps to consider.

3 Steps to Fall Gardening Success

1. When to Plant a Fall Garden

Timing is everything. To plan what to plant in your fall garden, See our Fall Planting Dates Calendar. We’ve calculated your frost dates, backed out vegetable maturity dates (found on your seed packet), some time for harvesting, and other fall factors. 

Or, you can consult the Frost Dates Calculator to find the first fall frost date for your area. Where I live, it is around September 20, but often, it is another month before we get a killing frost. There is a lot of glorious gardening weather between now and then.

Even though the days are beginning to shorten, the soil is warmer than it was in May, so seeds that are sown now will germinate much faster.

2. Which Vegetables to Grow

Here’s a list of good vegetables to plant in late summer to keep the garden going through autumn! Pay attention to which veggies are frost-tolerant and which are tender. 

1. As the weather cools, plant crops that are cold-tolerant and mature quickly. Salad greens are fast and hardy; leaf lettuces are ready to cut in 45 to 50 days. Looseleaf and butterhead leaves can be harvested at just about any time in their development. Sometimes, lettuce seeds have difficulty germinating in hot soil, so I start my new baby lettuces in flats that I can keep well-watered and shaded until the plants are large enough to transplant into the garden. Some varieties of lettuce such as ‘Winter Marvel’ and ‘New Red Fire’ are more cold-tolerant than others. 
2. A quick crop of radishes will be ready for the salad bowl in 25 days.
3. Other root crops, like carrots and beets, will take longer but are worth the wait since they seem to get sweeter as the days get cooler.
4. Fall-planted spinach does much better than spring-planted spinach since it matures during the cool weather it loves instead of struggling in the summer heat.
5. Swiss chard is another hardy green that reaches an edible size in 25 to 30 days. Given some extra protection when frost threatens, spinach and chard can last well into fall. If well-mulched, in many parts of the country, spinach will winter over and give you an extra-early spring crop of the best spinach you’ve ever tasted!
6. Broccoli and kohlrabi mature well in cool weather and will not be bothered by the cabbage moth larvae as much as spring-planted cold crops are.
7. Kale is a winter staple. Try blue-green ‘Winterbor’ or pretty purple ‘Redbor’. They can be harvested long after other greens have been killed by cold weather.
8. Bush beans take about 6 to 8 weeks to reach a harvestible size. The only problem with these crops is that they will be killed by frost unless you plan to protect them. If you live in an area with a long growing season, this will not be a problem.
9. Snap peas and snow peas start to bear in 60 days, and peas that mature in cold weather seem especially sweet and crisp. Pea vines can survive temperatures down to 25 degrees.
10. The real stars of the fall garden are the Asian greens. Quick-maturing varieties can be harvested in 45 days. Tatsoi, pac choi, mizuna, and napa are all in the brassica family. If given some protection, they can weather a frost and will last through a hard freeze.

Some Asian greens like hon tsai tai and mibuna are more closely related to mustard (also a brassica), which gives them tangy leaves that add a pleasant bite to an autumn salad or stir fry. Other greens such as arugula, mache, minutina, and claytonia can withstand quite cold temperatures, providing you with lots of interesting salads and cooked greens well into late fall.

Also, consider mixing up edibles with flowering annuals to bring autumnal interest to the garden! For example, combine ornamental cabbages and kales with flowering pansies and different salvias.

3. Where to Plant Fall Crops

Of course, you have to decide on where to put your crops. This is when you’ll be clearing out the summer crops that have died back or that you’re simply not using.  

You may have harvested your onions and garlic, so you have an open bed. Or, perhaps you’ve pulled diseased tomatoes, or the squash bugs have now taken over the squash bed. Clean up the beds and add some compost and kelp to feed the soil before planting the next crop. 

Caring for Fall Crops

Watering is probably your most important task for a fall garden. The air and ground temperature is already warm (unlike spring plantings).

• It will be important to keep your seeds consistently watered. 
• Adding mulch also helps water conservation.
• If the heat and Sun in your area are too intense, consider a lightweight row cover. 

Fall can be a second spring! Freshen up the empty beds with some compost and get ready to plant your second garden.