Prized for their edible stems, or spears, asparagus plants are one of the few vegetables that grow perennially, and they're harvested in spring—long before other crops have even sprouted. But while most gardeners grow green, white, or purple asparagus from year-old transplants or “crowns,” you can save money and make your garden more self-sufficient by growing asparagus from seed instead. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of when and how to plant asparagus seeds and teach you how to transplant, care for, and harvest your own asparagus. When and Where to Plant Asparagus Seeds The main difference between growing asparagus from seeds versus asparagus crowns is that you’ll need to wait an extra year to harvest asparagus grown from seed. But the good news is that asparagus seeds are easy to grow, and they can be started indoors or directly in the garden. Asparagus seeds are usually started inside pots or trays in early spring—about 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost. However, asparagus seeds can also be directly sown in in-ground or raised bed gardens after the final frost of spring. How to Plant Asparagus Seeds Many growers keep asparagus plants in nursery beds for the first year of growth to avoid weed competition and provide young plants with the right conditions for sturdy root development. Whether you’re planning to start asparagus seeds indoors or out, here's how to create a simple nursery bed and sow asparagus seeds. Preparing the Nursery Bed To start, choose a growing location that receives at least seven hours of direct sun daily and follow these tips to create a nursery bed. Loosen the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches and remove any rocks and weeds. Test the soil and add soil amendments (if needed). Asparagus grows best in rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Before planting asparagus seeds or transplants, mix several inches of compost or aged manure into the top few inches of soil. Indoor Sowing Planting asparagus seeds indoors in early spring takes a bit more time, but it gives you more control over the growing conditions and health of young seedlings. Soak the seeds in water for a few hours before planting. While the seeds are soaking, fill seed starting trays or pots with pre-moistened seed starting mix. Sow one to two asparagus seeds per pot or seedling cell, cover the seeds with ½-inch of seed starting mix, and add a humidity dome. Place the seedlings under a grow light and on top of the seedling heating mat and set to 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Water regularly until the seeds sprout. This can take a few weeks, so be patient! Once the seedlings germinate, remove the humidity dome and heating mat. Continue to water regularly to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, leave one seedling per pot or seedling cell and thin out the rest. Transplant indoor seedlings outside when they’re a few inches tall and the danger of frost has past. Outdoor Sowing For a more hands-off approach, plant asparagus seeds outdoors in prepared nursery beds after the last spring frost. Plant seeds ½-inch deep, and 2 to 3 inches apart, in rows spaced approximately 1 foot from each other. If possible, soak the asparagus seeds in water before planting to speed up germination. Water often to keep the soil moist and weed regularly to prevent weed competition. Asparagus seeds should germinate in a few weeks. Once the seedlings have sprouted and are a few inches tall, spread a light layer of straw mulch around the soil line to block out weeds. Transplanting Seeds Seedlings started outdoors won’t need to be transplanted during their first year of growth. However, indoor seedlings should be transplanted outside after the last frost date of spring. Harden the seedlings off over one to two weeks by moving the seedlings outdoors during the day and indoors at night. Gradually increase the amount of time the seedlings are outside and the amount of sun they’re exposed to until the plants can handle full sun. Transplant the asparagus seedlings into rows spaced about 1 foot apart in a prepared nursery bed. Space each plant about 1 foot from its neighbor and bury the seedlings deep enough to cover their roots. Water well and apply a light layer of straw mulch. How to Care for Asparagus After growing for one year in the nursery bed, asparagus crowns can be transplanted into your main garden in early spring. Before planting, loosen the soil and add amendments, then plant the year-old asparagus crowns in 6-inch deep trenches spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. Fan the plants' roots out, space individual plants 2 feet from each other, cover the roots with 2 inches of soil and follow these quick-care tips to maintain a healthy asparagus crop. Mounding. Every few weeks, add more soil over the asparagus crowns until the crowns are covered with a small mound of earth. In winter, layer 4 to 6 inches of straw mulch over the roots for insulation. Watering. Provide asparagus plants with about 1 inch of water per week. Fertilizing. Fertilize asparagus once or twice a year in early spring, and after harvest, with a well-balanced fertilizer or compost. Weeding. Asparagus doesn’t compete well with weeds and beds need regular weeding. Pruning. Don’t cut the fern-like leaves from asparagus plants until they die back in the fall. Those leaves fuel next year’s growth of asparagus. Harvesting Asparagus If you start asparagus plants from seed, you’ll need to wait at least three years to harvest edible spears. Asparagus season begins in spring and stretches until the end of June, but you should only harvest spears for two to three weeks during the first harvest season. Harvest spears when they’re as wide as your finger and about 6 to 8 inches long, and use a sharp knife to cut the spears off at the soil line to limit plant damage.

While its feathery foliage has a delicate appearance, dill is easy to grow and care for, and is an excellent addition to any garden. In addition to providing bright, fresh flavor for your dishes, dill plants also attract a host of beneficial insects such as ladybugs, green lacewings, and syrphid flies—all of which prey on aphids. To keep your dill plant happy and healthy, it's important to regularly prune it. This will will help it grow bushier and fuller, promote new grow, and ultimately lead to a more abundant dill harvest. Before You Get Started No matter what method you use to prune your dill plant, it's important to keep these guidelines in mind. Wait for the dill plant to have at least five leaves or until the plant is at least six inches tall, somewhere between four to eight weeks after planting. As with other herbs, you should never trim more than one third of the entire plant. To prevent over-pruning, allow the plant to recover and regrow to its previous size before pruning again. If you prune down a stem without leaving any fronds (leaf sets), the stem will not grow more dill. If you want the dill plant to continue growing its green foliage, pinch off any flower buds that form. Flowering is a sign that the plant is ready to reproduce and nearing the end of its life. Every part of the dill plant is edible, including the seeds, stems, and flowers. How to Prune Dill for Growth If you're growing dill to use in your kitchen, pruning the plant can play a vital role in its yield. Regularly pruning away leaves from the top of the plant will encourage bushier growth—and give you fresh herbs to cook with. I've found this is the best method to use for a bountiful dill harvest you can enjoy all season long. I follow this process when I need a few leaves to garnish a dish or salad with. I just run out back to my vegetable garden, pluck off a small handful of dill leaves, and bring them back into the kitchen to finish up. Find a tender stem with mature growth. Follow the tops of the fronds (dill leaves) to the previous leaf set. You'll want to prune right above it, leaving some leaves in tact for the stem to continue to produce leaves. Using a clean pair of pruning shears, snip off the dill leaves from that top part of the stem. You can also use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the leaves off. How to Prune Dill for Storage If your goal is to harvest large amounts of dill for drying, freezing, or preserving, then you'll want to prune away much of the dill plant. Because the goal is no longer to encourage growth, you can cut the leaves, stems, and all. Dill is an annual plant and will need to be replanted the following year. This is the pruning method I follow at the end of the growing season, when the dill plant is lush and full but doesn't have flowers blooming yet. Spray the dill plant with water one day before harvesting it. This will help clear it of dirt and ensure the plant has moisture for the freshest harvest possible. Using a pair of scissors or pruning shears, cut it at the base of the stem, pruning the whole plant away. Place the stems in a glass of water like you would flowers. If you plan to dry the dill, combine the dill stems into small bundles and hang them upside down to dry for one to two weeks. How to Prune Dill for Seed-Saving If you are growing a dill plant for its seeds, then you need to allow the plant to flower in order to harvest them. You can increase your seed crop by selectively pruning the leaves, forcing the plant to send all nutrients and energy to the seed-producing flowers. In order to collect seeds, you want to encourage the dill plant to flower. Regularly prune the top leaves, making sure to leave the main stems intact. Wait for your dill plant to start producing small yellow flowers. Allow the flowers to fully mature. The seeds are ready to be harvested when the follows are brown and completely dried on the plant. To collect the seeds, secure a paper bag over the flower heads and shake them. Once you are finished harvesting seeds, trim back the stems that held the flowers.

Woodland forget-me-nots are short-lived perennials valued for their color, with numerous pink buds followed by small, attractive, half-inch five-petaled blue flowers. A short plant (often just 5 inches at maturity) with a medium growth rate, forget-me-not has hairy stems with single flowers growing at the end of bunches of flowering stems. It attracts butterflies and resists rabbits and deer. Forget-me-nots are cold hardy. Although they can grow in the sun or shade, they prefer moist, woodland environments with dappled light. In warmer, southern climates with high heat, they grow best in a shady spot. Although technically a perennial, most gardeners treat forget-me-not as a biennial, sowing seed in midsummer and enjoying the blooms the following year. It is used as a groundcover, in garden beds, woodland gardens, rock gardens, or containers. Deadhead flowers if you don't want them to overgrow in an area since they reseed readily and are invasive in some areas. Forget-Me-Not Meaning and Symbolism Woodland forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica) are different from Chinese forget-me-nots (Cynoglossum amabile). The word "myosotis" in the species name comes from Greek words meaning "mouse ear." The plant's foliage has short, pointed leaves resembling mouse ears. A forget-me-not variety, Myosotis scorpiodes, also has a unique common name, "scorpion grass," for its flower clusters that curl like a scorpion's tail. Forget-me-nots are a popular bridal flower for their symbolism. They historically symbolize true love, respect, fidelity, and devotion. Forget-Me-Not Care Here are the main care requirements for growing woodland forget-me-nots: Grows well in full sun or partial shade, preferring dappled light. Prefers moist soil; do not allow it to dry out. Handles heat and cold climates and does not like intense heat. It needs rich soil, augmented with compost or fertilizer annually. Light In the North, you can grow it in full sun or partial shade, although this plant prefers dappled light. At the southern end of its range, give forget-me-not afternoon shade. This plant does not like intense sunlight. Soil Forget-me-not prospers in organically enriched, consistently moist, well-drained soil. Never allow the soil to dry out. It grows best in neutral pH, although it handles slightly alkaline or acidic soil pH. Water Forget-me-not prefers wet soil. It can handle muddy or waterlogged soil and thrives near a stream, pond, or bog. The more sunlight it receives, the more water it will need. Temperature and Humidity With a range covering six USDA zones, forget-me-not withstands heat and cold well. Unless you're trying to grow it north of zone 3, you don't need to take measures to winterize it. However, due to its susceptibility to powdery mildew disease,2 it isn't recommended for areas with intensely hot, humid summers. Fertilizer Fertilize forget-me-not with compost or general-purpose fertilizer annually. Follow the product label instructions for the amount of fertilizer to use. Types of Forget-Me-Nots There are about 100 species of forget-me-nots. Most are called forget-me-nots or scorpion grass. Some of these plants were historically used to treat wounds and some medical conditions.3 Other common types of forget-me-nots include: Small-flowered forget-me-not (Myosotis stricta) Broadleaf forget-me-not (Myosotis latifolia) Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) Field forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis) Alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis asiatica) Cultivars of Myosotis sylvatica with more options for color, plant size, or flower size include: Blue basket: Taller, deeper blue flowers Music: Flowers larger and deeper blue Pompadour: Compact growth habit; pink flowers Snowball: White flowers Ultramarine: Smaller plant; deep blue flowers Victoria blue: Compact growth habit Victoria rose: Pink flowers Victoria white: White flowers Pruning Forget-me-nots do not need pruning unless you want to trim away extra growth. You can remove dead or dried-up branches at any time, but the best time to trim overgrowth is immediately after the plant flowers. Use sterilized pruners to remove the spent flowering stalks at the base. Basal pruning also prevents seeds from dispersing. Once you introduce it to your garden, you'll have it for many years (unless you actively suppress it). Propagating Forget-Me-Not Forget-me-nots are best propagated by seed and division. To divide it, here's how: Dig up plants that have spread from the original. Transplant them to other areas in spring. Dig the holes the same depth as they were growing previously. Place in the hole and backfill with soil. Space them 10 inches apart. Water deeply to settle the plant. How to Grow Forget-Me-Not From Seed Forget-me-not plants are grown easily from seed, as evidenced by the plant's ability to reseed and spread. Here's how to sow seeds: Source seeds by early summer. Select a spot in the garden. Prepare the soil by raking it to loosen it and smooth it out. By midsummer, broadcast the seed across the surface. Water lightly afterward and often enough to keep the soil moist. Seedlings emerge in the fall; blooming will occur the following spring. Potting and Repotting Forget-Me-Nots Forget-me-not grows well in containers, whether outside in a shady spot or indoors. Plant it on its own in a 8- to 12-inch pot with good drainage filled with fresh potting mix. It also makes a good filler plant in a larger container with a mix of shade-loving plants. Keep the soil moist but not soggy and make sure the plant has good air circulation. Indoors, keep the pot in a spot with indirect light and rotate the plant frequently to ensure even light exposure. Water the plant regularly to keep the soil evenly moist. When the plant becomes root-bound, move it into a container one size larger than its current pot. Fill the new container with fresh potting mix, place the plant in the center and firm it into place with additional potting mix. Water it well to eliminate air pockets and allow the pot to drain. How to Get Forget-Me-Not to Bloom Bloom Months Forget-me-nots typically bloom from April to May for several weeks. What Do Forget-Me-Not Flowers Look and Smell Like? The plant produces many dainty blue, pink, or white flowers, just under 1/2-inch across. The five-petalled star-like blooms have no discernible scent. How to Encourage More Blooms Provide rich, consistently moist soil for the longest blooming period and the most flowers. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more flowers. Forget-me-not, as a biennial or short-lived, reseeding perennial, reblooms annually with minimal care. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Garden pests mostly leave forget-me-not alone, but aphids, slugs, and snails can sometimes become problematic. Aphids are sap-suckers that can be controlled by a regular spray of water or wiping them away by hand. Slugs and snails are best eliminated by hand-picking and dropping them in soapy water. If the problem is extensive, use traps made of sunken bowls of beer around the plants. The fermentation smell entices the pests and drowns them. Reset and repeat until these traps no longer capture new slugs or snails. Forget-me-nots are susceptible to two diseases: powdery mildew and rust.4 Powdery mildew is that light-colored, powdery covering on a plant's leaves. Seldom fatal, it temporarily ruins plants' appearance. Minimize it by avoiding overhead watering. Common Problems Forget-me-nots are easy plants to care for and grow. The biggest concerns with these plants are managing their spread and giving the right amount of water. Managing Growth These prolific self-seeders are best controlled by removing the seed heads or flowering stalk immediately as the flower begins to fade. Dig up new stands of emerging growth and transplant them to a new section of your garden to control overgrowth in one area. Or, remove and discard them if you want to limit them in your garden. Wilting Leaves Forget-me-nots are water lovers. If the plants look like the leaves are wilting and crispy, they are likely not getting enough water. If the leaves look wilting and limp, they may be getting too much water. Adjust the water level accordingly. If the problem continues, consider digging up the plant and replacing the soil with better-draining soil.