The Journal
Garden ideas, plant guides and seasonal how-tos from our nursery in Plano, Texas.
8 min readGarden Calendar: Plant, Bloom & HarvestWhen to start, plant, bloom and pick, for flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs. Pick your climate once and everything on the page adjusts.
12 min readPreserve the Harvest: Sweet & Savory PreservesSeven recipes to keep the season in a jar: three sweet, four savory. Make the most of every berry, fig and cabbage, and have something homemade for the Thanksgiving table.- 4 min readBasic jam (and pie filling): RecipeOne method for almost any fruit: blueberries, grapes, figs, oranges, plums, or a mix. Sugar draws the juice out first, so the jam cooks faster and tastes fresher.
4 min readHomemade maraschino cherries: RecipeStore-bought maraschinos are bleached and dyed bright red. Homemade ones are deep ruby, taste like real cherries, and make every cocktail, sundae and cake look better.
4 min readTamarind chutney: RecipeThe sweet-sour chutney drizzled over samosas and chaat. Dates bring the sweetness, tamarind brings the tang, and the spices tie it together. It's also great on a holiday cheese board.
4 min readSalt-brine pickles: RecipeThe original pickle: no vinegar, just a salt brine. Good bacteria turn the vegetables sour and leave them full of live probiotics. Cucumbers are classic, but carrots, green beans, radishes, cauliflower and peppers all work.
4 min readSauerkraut: RecipeCabbage and salt, and nothing else. Simple and tangy, and packed with live probiotics as long as it's not heated or pasteurized.
4 min readKimchi: RecipeCabbage and salt, plus chili, garlic and ginger. Packed with live probiotics as long as it's not heated or pasteurized.
4 min readAchaar (carrot & green chili): RecipeSouth Asian achaar is all about flavor: crushed seeds, chili and mustard oil. It's rich rather than a health food, and a spoonful brightens dal, rice, parathas or a sandwich. Swap in cauliflower, lemons, or raw mango when it's in season.
7 min readChrysanthemums: November's Flower, and How to Grow MumsThe flower of fall. Mums open as the days get shorter, come in almost every color except blue, and last for weeks in a vase.
6 min readCosmos: How to Grow, Care for and Use ThemLight, airy flowers on tall, feathery stems. Cosmos bloom for months, don't need much care, and are one of the best cut flowers you can grow from a packet of seed.
7 min readMarigolds: How to Grow, Care for and Use ThemBright, tough and hard to kill. Marigolds flower from early summer until frost, love the heat, and are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed.
8 min readHardiness Zones Explained: What They Mean and What You Can GrowWhat your zone actually measures, how to read the zones on a plant tag, the difference between annuals and perennials, and how to grow plants that aren't "rated" for where you live.
9 min readHow to Make a Moon Garden: White Flowers That Glow at NightA moon garden is planted to be enjoyed after sunset. White flowers and silver leaves catch the last light and the moonlight, and night-scented blooms fill the air just as you sit down outside. Here's how to plan one.
9 min readHow to Make a Goth Garden: Black Plants, Plans & TipsA goth garden is all about depth: near-black roses, wine-dark leaves and deep violet flowers, with one pale bloom to make the darkness glow. Here's how to plan one, step by step, and which plants actually stay dark.