WHEN GROWING from seed, the list of decisions starts with what turns out to be the simplest question of all: which variety of bean or tomato or zinnia to order. But then things get more complicated, questions like figuring out when to start what, and whether any of your choices need any special pre-treatment or particular conditions to germinate—including what germinating med...

WHAT DO YOU SAY we explore expanding our herb-gardening efforts to include some goodies to fill those jars in the spice rack, too? Most of us have probably grown cilantro, for instance, with its distinctive-tasting bright green foliage, but I suspect few of us have harvested coriander seed, the other possible crop that same species of plant can yield. Sarah Kleeger of Adaptiv...

‘THE DREAM has always been a rainbow of peas.” That’s what Dylana Kapuler, co-owner of Peace Seedlings, said to me more than a decade ago, and that dream continues to fuel a passion for breeding colorful, edible-podded peas at the organically managed, Oregon-based seed company. Ready to think beyond your basic green pods and expand your palette to purple and yellow and even r...

GOLDENRODS are powerhouses—keystone plants that serve as hosts for more than 100 species of butterflies and moths, and as rich, late-season sources of pollen and nectar for countless beneficial insects. As if that were not enough, they also produce seed that supports various birds. Now Mt. Cuba Center, the native plant garden and research institution in Delaware, has publishe...

IT WAS 1 DEGREE Fahrenheit outside when I looked at my electronic weather station readout the other morning, a perfect time for some winter-defying tactics like talking tomatoes. Organic seed farmer and breeder Don Tipping of Siskiyou Seeds in Oregon joined me for a colorful, warming conversation, because after trialing 55 tomato varieties last season, Don has some goodies to...