Texas Star hibiscus is a striking, easy-to-grow perennial across many hardiness zones. A native plant to the Southeastern United States, you can find it growing in swampy, coastal areas from Georgia to Florida. Learn how to add and care for this exotic beauty in your garden. Texas Star Hibiscus Care Texas Star hibiscus blooms in late summer to early fall with large, up to six-inch-wide flowers that last one day. While there is a profusion of blooms during the season, the deep green foliage and buds add to the striking effect. To have a healthy plant that produces dozens of dramatic scarlet blooms year after year, follow these guidelines for Texas Star hibiscus: Plant in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sun daily. While the soil should be well-draining, Texas Star hibiscus requires consistently moist soil to thrive. As a quick-growing plant, it requires monthly fertilization during the growing season. Texas Star hibiscus can be pruned to control its size, but flowers will only appear on new growth. Light Texas Star is at its best when grown in full sun. If the area receives partial shade, there will be fewer blooms and a leggy plant. Soil Native to low-lying, swampy areas of the Southeast, Texas Star hibiscus grows well in sand, silt, or loam. While it can tolerate wet feet, it performs best in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Water Consistently moist soil is a must for Texas Star and overwatering is not an issue if the soil drains well. During hot, dry periods, supplemental irrigation is needed. Add several layers of organic mulch around the plant to help preserve soil moisture. Temperature and Humidity Texas Star enjoys the high temperatures and humidity of the deep South. Cold temperatures can cause damage or dieback, so once temperatures fall to near or below freezing, protect the plant with layers of mulch or burlap. Even if dieback occurs, the plant may produce new growth in the spring. Fertilizer Because Texas Star is a vigorous grower, apply a balanced NPK liquid fertilizer once a month during the spring and summer. Pruning Texas Star does not require pruning unless you want to control the height and shape of the plant. Since blooms appear on new growth, pruning can reduce the number of blooms. Deadheading the spent flowers is not necessary, but not harmful, either. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Propagating Texas Star Hibiscus The best time to propagate Texas Star hibiscus is in the spring once new growth has appeared. Old wood will not root well. Cut a 5- to 6-inch cutting from the end of a stem using clean, sharp pruners. Dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone. Fill a 6-inch container with potting soil and water it well. Press the cutting about 3 inches deep into a container. Place the container in an area with bright but indirect sunlight. Keep the soil moist until the cuttings have rooted. Covering the container with a plastic bag will help preserve moisture. Transplant the hibiscus into a larger container or the garden when several sets of leaves have developed. How to Grow Texas Star Hibiscus From Seed With so many blooms producing seed pods, Texas Star often self-seeds in the garden, but you can collect the seeds to start indoors. In the fall, allow pods to dry and turn brown. Collect them and pop open the pods to remove the seeds. Save the seeds until spring and sow them indoors in seed starter trays about 6 weeks before the last predicted frost. Keep the soil warm and moist in an area with bright, indirect light. The seeds will germinate in about 10-12 days. When the danger of frost has passed, transplant the seedlings to individual pots and harden them off before transplanting into the garden. Potting and Repotting If growing Texas Star in a container, select one that is large enough to support the height and quick growth of this perennial. Add a supporting trellis if the container is placed in a breezy area. Place the container in a sunny area and keep the soil evenly moist. Water twice a day on days with high temperatures. Apply a water-soluble balanced fertilizer once a month. Repot to a larger container when the plant becomes root-bound. Overwintering When cold temperatures arrive, the plant will naturally die back. You can remove the foliage, leaving stems about 4 to 6 inches above the soil line. Container-grown Texas Star plants should be clipped back and moved to a protected area during the winter but watered regularly to keep the soil moist. If planted in the garden, add a thick layer of mulch to protect the roots from cold temperatures, or add a burlap cover. How to Get Texas Star Hibiscus to Bloom If your Texas Star is planted in full sun, gets regular fertilizer feedings during the growing season, and has plenty of water, it should produce a profusion of blooms. Bloom Months In the southern U.S., blooms can appear in May and last through October. In cooler growing areas, the blooms typically appear during June or July and into the fall. How Long Does Texas Star Hibiscus Bloom? Each Texas Star hibiscus bloom only lasts one day. However, the plant will produce flowers for 4 to 6 months. What Do Texas Star Hibiscus Flowers Look and Smell Like? Texas Star hibiscus flowers are large, up to 6 inches across. They are bright red to burgundy with four to five petals and a showy center stamen. The flowers do not have a detectible scent to humans, but are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. How to Encourage More Blooms If your Texas Star is not blooming, it is not getting enough water and sunlight. Enhance the nutrients in the soil with monthly feedings with a balanced fertilizer. Deadheading Texas Star Hibiscus Flowers If you find the spent flowers unattractive, you can deadhead the blooms but it is not necessary. Deadheading will also reduce the number of seed pods if you don't want the plants to self-sow in the garden. Caring for Texas Star Hibiscus After It Blooms At the end of the growing season, the plant will naturally die back. You can cut the stems within 4 to 6 inches of the soil. New growth will appear in the spring. Common Pests & Plant Diseases Insects like grasshoppers, aphids, Hibiscus whiteflies, mealybugs, thrips, and scale might attack your Texas Star. Most pests can be controlled with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil sprays. If the infestation is mild, blast away the pests with a stream of water. The plants are susceptible to blight, rust, canker, and leaf spot. If these fungal diseases become an issue, apply neem oil and remove and discard the affected branches. Common Problems As a native perennial, this plant is resistant to most problems. It can tolerate overly wet roots and salt spray but it is not deer-resistant. If you notice yellow leaves, you may be over- or under-watering or the plant is not getting enough sunlight. Adjust your care or transplant Texas Star to a new location.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is an easy-care herb from the Mediterranean region that’s closely related to carrots and dill and is prized for its edible leaves and stems. Although most gardeners grow parsley as an annual, it’s technically a biennial herb that grows for two years before dying away. During its first year, parsley produces the majority of its flavorful leaves; however, these plants yield even more leaves, flowers, and seeds if they’re allowed to overwinter into their second year. Available in both curly and flat-leaf varieties, parsley grows well in pots or larger gardens, and it’s a must-have herb for garnishing and flavoring pasta, salads, soups, and sauces. Beyond its culinary uses, parsley is also a fantastic companion plant for most veggies and herbs, and it readily attracts pollinators and beneficial insects to garden beds, too. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to grow parsley yourself, indoors or outside. Parsley Care Tips Parsley is a delicious and attractive plant, not only to humans. Here's everything you need to know about caring for it yourself. You’ll get more use out of parsley if you overwinter your plants with mulch and let them go to seed. Second-year parsley flowers are highly attractive to predatory insects, like hoverflies, and parsley readily self-sows if you don’t deadhead old flowers. Parsley is also a top host plant for swallowtail butterflies and planting a few extra parsley plants can attract more of these helpful pollinators to your garden. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Light Parsley grows best in full sun; indoor plants may need a grow light to prevent spindly stems. In hot climates, parsley will do better in a location that receives morning sun and light afternoon shade. Soil These plants thrive in rich, well-draining soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Amending gardens with compost before planting is recommended. Water Like other tender-stemmed herbs, parsley needs to be watered regularly and deeply with about an inch of water per week. For improved growth, add mulch around the base of your plants, and add liquid organic fertilizer diluted to half strength once or twice during the growing season. Temperature and Humidity Parsley isn’t fussy about humidity and established plants can handle light frosts. However, these plants are at their best when temperatures range between 50°F and 70°F, and second year plants bolt quickly in hot weather. Varieties to Grow Parsley comes in a few different varieties and each type of parsley shines in its own way. Italian flat leaf: The most popular parsley for cooking, flat leaf parsley has big leaves that are easy to chop. It also has a sweeter and stronger flavor than other parsleys and is slower to bolt in hot weather. Curly parsley: Commonly grown in garden bed borders and pots, curly parsley has a milder taste than flat-leaf varieties, but its curly leaves make a striking garnish. Hamburg (or root) parsley: A lesser-known type of parsley, root parsley is a multi-use plant that produces plump, parsnip-like roots and edible greens. How to Plant Parsley Seeds Although potted parsley can be purchased at garden centers, growing parsley from seed is surprisingly easy, and can save you money on your gardening budget. Just keep in mind that parsley is a slow grower and seeds take between two and four weeks to sprout. In a Garden Starting parsley seeds outside is the easiest way to grow parsley. However, parsley seeds should only be planted outdoors after your last spring frost date. Pick a spot. Choose a sunny location and prepare the planting site by removing weeds and amending the soil with compost. Soak seeds and sow. Soak parsley seeds overnight and then sow the seeds 1/4 inch deep and about 1 to 2 inches apart in rows spaced about 12 to 18 inches from each other. Water. Water the site well and wait for the seedlings to sprout. Pick the best seedlings. When the seedlings are 2 inches tall, thin out the weakest plants and leave about 8 to 10 inches of space between the remaining seedlings. Mulch and care. Add mulch and continue to care for your parsley until harvest. Indoors If you live in a cold area and want to harvest parsley earlier, start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before your last frost date. Soak seeds. Soak parsley seeds in water for 12 to 24 hours before planting to boost germination rates. Ready seeds in trays. Fill pots or seed starting trays with a pre-moistened seed starting mix, plant 1 to 2 parsley seeds per pot or seeding cell, and cover the seeds with about 1/4-inch of soil. Give light and water. Move the seeds under a bright grow light and water them just enough to keep the soil evenly moist. Adjust lighting after sprouting. Once the seedlings sprout, adjust the grow light as needed to keep it about 2 inches above the top of the plants at all times. Continue watering. Pick the best seedlings. When the seedlings are 2 inches tall, thin out the weakest seedlings and leave just one plant per pot or seed cell. Harden off seedlings and transplant. Harden the seedlings off over a 1 to 2 week period, and transplant the seedlings outside after your last frost date. Transplanted seedlings should be spaced about 8 to 10 inches apart in holes that are only slightly larger than the plant’s root ball. Then, water the seedlings in and add mulch. Or keep indoors. If you want to keep parsley indoors, just move your plants into a sunny spot and water regularly. Harvesting Parsley You can start harvesting parsley when the plants are about six inches tall and their leaves have three leaf segments. Harvest the outer leaves first by cutting the plant stems at the soil line with scissors and leave the center of the plant to regrow. You can harvest leaves little by little or in larger quantities, but never harvest more than 1/3 of your plant in one go and wait two to three weeks in between larger harvests. Storing Parsley Freshly cut parsley should last for about 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge if you place cut stems in a glass filled with a few inches of water like cut flowers. For longer storage, parsley can be frozen whole, chopped, or in oil. Or, it can be dried with hang drying, a food dehydrator, or an oven set on its lowest setting, and stored in spice jars in a cool, dark spot. Common Pests & Plant Diseases Aphids, leafhoppers, and carrot flies sometimes target parsley, but these pests can be avoided with crop rotation and row covers, and eradicated with organic soap sprays. Leaf spot and powdery mildew usually occur when parsley plants are grown too closely together or if they’re watered from the top down. However, you can avoid these issues by spacing parsley plants apart and watering at the soil line. Parsley also bolts quickly in hot weather, but bolting can be delayed by planting parsley in light afternoon shade and pinching flower buds before they open.

Edamame, Glycine max, is an edible soybean originating in Japan. It's something of a niche market in the U.S. but gaining popularity as a high protein, low fat snack food for the home garden. In addition to its nutritional value, edamame is ideal for crop rotation and well-suited to organic practices. For home use, edamame is most often harvested young once the pods fill out with two to three beans. Pods are boiled whole then the sweet, nutty beans are removed and eaten much like boiled peanuts. They can be used in place of beans in many recipes including soups, stews, and dips such as hummus. If you can grow green beans in your home garden, you can grow edamame. Here's how. When to Plant Edamame Edamame is a warm-season crop directly sown after the final frost. Soil temperatures should reach 55°F and air temperatures remain at 60°F or higher. Cold, wet soil causes seeds to rot. Plants are sensitive to day length which determines how much time is needed from planting to harvest. Depending on the variety beans may be ready for picking from 65 to 110 days. Seed packets should give information about when to plant for your U.S. hardiness zone and days to harvest. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! How to Plant Edamame Choose an area that receives at least six hours of sun daily. Work in aged compost two to four weeks before planting, then sow seeds 2 to 4 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. Set them 1/2 - to 1-inch deep and cover with soil. Plants emerge in one to two weeks. When they reach 4 inches tall, thin the crop to 6 inches between plants. Aim to provide an inch of water weekly in lieu of rainfall. Edamame are somewhat drought tolerant but insufficient water causes lower yields. Moisture is most important during flowering and when beans are forming and maturing. Mulch with hay, leaves, or compost to retain soil moisture and control weeds. Like most legumes, edamame are nitrogen fixers which means they don't need additional fertilizer as long as the soil is nutrient-rich. They have a growth habitat similar to bush beans, reaching 1 to 3 feet tall, and generally don't require staking. Types of Edamame Agate: An heirloom variety introduced to the U.S. in the 1920's. Small cream to olive green beans with dark saddles ready to harvest in 65 days. High-yielding and adapted to short growing seasons. Envy: Most popular with home gardeners this variety matures in 75 to 85 days with two to three light green beans in each pod. Midori Giant: Traditional variety used in oriental recipes. Two to three green beans in large pods with high yields. Ready to harvest in 70 days. Chiba Green: Adapted to all U.S. growing zones, pods mature in 82 days with an average of three large, flavorful green beans per pod. Harvesting Edamame Pods on each plant mature simultaneously making harvesting a quick and efficient job. For fresh eating, harvest before the pods and leaves start to turn yellow. Look for plump pods with beans fully filled out to where they almost touch each other inside the pod. Snap them off or use a clipper to remove pods. Avoid pulling them from the plant. Harvest in the morning when beans retain the highest amount of water for the best flavor. You can remove pods individually or pull up the entire plant for harvesting. Most home gardeners harvest edamame for fresh eating, but they can also be harvested for seeds or dry beans. Wait until plants lose their leaves and pods turn yellow. How to Store Edamame Store fresh edamame in the refrigerator for up to one week. Keep them in a perforated bag in the crisper drawer. Edamame can be frozen for up to 12 months. Rinse the pods in cool water then blanch them in boiling water for three minutes. Drain and plunge them into an ice water bath for two minutes. Drain a second time and allow the pods to dry on paper towels. Pack into air-tight freezer bags. For dry beans or seeds, remove them from the dried pods. Pack beans into an air-tight jar and keep in a cool, dark location. Alternatively, you can hang dried plants upside down in a dry location with good air circulation and harvest the pods as needed. Edamame Pests and Diseases Insect pests to watch for include Mexican bean beetles, root-knot nematodes, stink bugs, and white flies. Most can be discouraged by rotating crops and using row covers. Avoid planting edamame in the same location where beans were grown the previous year. Hand-pick pests or spray your crop with insecticidal soap. To discourage root-knot nematodes, rotate crops, remove all plant debris at the end of the season, and choose resistant varieties. White mold and powdery mildew are fungal infections that usually occur during periods of high humidity. Leave adequate spacing between plants for good air circulation and water at ground level in the morning to avoid wetting foliage. Remove and dispose of plants infected with white mold.