Autumn is the best time for planting garlic. But if you missed your fall planting window, you can still plant garlic in spring and harvest an impressive crop of garlic by the end of its growing season. Whether you want to grow hardneck garlic, softneck garlic, or garlic scapes, this guide will teach you how to cold treat spring garlic to get more cloves and introduce you to the best types of garlic for spring plantings. Can You Plant Garlic in Spring? Yes, you can definitely plant garlic in the spring. Although most growers plant garlic in fall, you can plant it in spring as long as you chill or “cold treat” seed garlic before planting. Like daffodils and tulips, garlic needs a period of cold exposure to grow; garlic bulbs won’t produce multiple cloves without it. Garlic that’s planted outdoors in autumn is naturally exposed to the cold during winter. But spring plantings of garlic need to be intentionally chilled or they’ll produce one large garlic clove instead of a full head of cloves. How to Cold Treat Garlic There are two main ways to cold treat garlic before spring planting, and the method you choose will depend on where you live and your climate. Plant garlic as early as possible. If you live in an area where the ground thaws in early spring, you can cold treat garlic by planting it outdoors as soon as the soil is workable. If your soil doesn’t thaw until late spring, plant garlic in weather-proof pots instead, and put those cold-hardy cloves outside while it’s still cold. Chill garlic indoors. Alternatively, you can chill garlic inside by placing seed garlic in perforated bags and chilling them in your fridge for a few weeks before planting. During this process, regularly check the cloves for mold and sprouting and immediately plant any cloves that start to grow. When to Plant Garlic in the Spring Hardneck garlic needs to be chilled for 4 to 8 weeks before planting, while softneck garlic only needs about 3 to 4 weeks of cold treatment. This means that you’ll usually need to start chilling garlic by late winter to early spring and plant garlic outside when the soil is workable. Remember, garlic is cold hardy and you don’t need to worry about it freezing. Types of Garlic Both hardneck and softneck garlic are appropriate for spring or fall plantings. However, there are a few types of garlic that are particularly popular in spring. ‘Early Italian’ softneck garlic is known for its long storage life. It produces up to 15 cloves per bulb and is ideal for braiding. ‘Elephant’ garlic is actually more closely related to leeks than garlic, but its jumbo cloves have a mild, garlic-like taste and excellent crunch. ‘Chesnok Red’ hardneck garlic yields big cloves with purple striping and tasty scapes perfect for pesto. How to Plant Garlic Spring garlic can be planted in in-ground gardens, raised beds, or pots that are at least 6 to 8 inches deep. Just make sure your garlic is planted in a location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day and follow these planting tips. Prepare soil. Before planting, amend your soil with compost and organic granular fertilizer. In containers, use 3 parts potting soil mixed with 1 part compost. Separate cloves and plant. Divide garlic cloves carefully, leaving the papery skins on, and plant them pointed ends up about 1 to 2 inches deep. Cloves should be spaced about 4 inches apart to get large bulbs or 2 inches apart for smaller, green garlic. Water well. After planting, water well and add 2 to 3 inches of lightweight mulch to keep weeds down. Continue watering when the top inch of soil feels dry and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks with an organic fertilizer from the time the garlic cloves sprout until a few weeks before harvest. How to Harvest Garlic Whether you plant garlic in spring or fall, garlic bulbs should be ready to harvest around mid- to late summer, or when the garlic leaves have mostly turned brown. However, you can harvest “green garlic” when the plants are about the size of scallions or harvest garlic scapes when they start to curl. When harvesting, follow these best practices: Stop watering garlic plants several days before harvest and harvest bulbs in dry weather if possible. Use a shovel or gardening fork to gently lift the bulbs from the soil and shake away excess dirt. Cure the bulbs in a warm, dry spot with good airflow for 2 to 4 weeks until the skins are papery. Cut the leaves off hardneck garlic or twist softneck garlic leaves into braids and store your harvest in a warm, dry spot.

The lupine flower, also known as lupin or bluebonnet, looks like a wildflower, but it is a fast-growing legume in the pea family that has a tall, showy spire of colorful blooms that are typically purple. Flowers bloom from spring through midsummer and, while individual lupine plants do not spread, the flower pods each disperse up to a dozen seeds. Lupine is an annual and short-lived perennial flower with a lifespan of two to five years. This low-maintenance plant grows best in northern climates with cooler summers and requires a daily six hours of full sunlight, weekly watering, and soil on the acidic side. These vividly colored flowers are also deer-resistant and beneficial to pollinators like bees and butterflies. The plant is toxic to humans and animals. Lupine Care Here are the main care requirements for growing lupine: Plant lupines during cooler early spring or fall temperatures. Use loose, sandy soil for lupines, and avoid planting this flower in clay soil unless it is amended. Offer lupines more sun and minimum shade. Space smaller lupines a foot apart and larger ones two to three feet apart. Stake taller lupine varieties using grow-through grid stakes to prevent them from flopping over. Water lupine during periods of dry weather. Use an acidifying, phosphorous-heavy fertilizer when planting lupine. Deadhead lupine to encourage continuous flowering. Planting To grow lupine seedlings, dig holes 1 to 1 1/2 feet deep and start small plants about 1 foot apart, while larger plants should be grown two to three feet apart. Ideally, lupine plants are planted outdoors in cooler temperatures, either early spring or fall. Add mulch but avoid fertilizer. Light Lupines prefer full sun, at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days, to grow and bloom their best. They can grow in partial shade, but their flowering will diminish. However, some afternoon shade is ideal in hot climates. Soil These flowers thrive in organically rich soil or loose, sandy soil with sharp drainage. They prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil pH, though they also can grow in very acidic soil conditions. Lupines will typically not survive in heavy clay soil unless the dirt is loosened a few inches down and heavily amended with compost. Water While lupines don't like soggy soil, which can cause root rot, they prefer regular watering. Water at least weekly if you haven't gotten rainfall to prevent the soil from drying out. Temperature and Humidity Lupines like fairly cool summers and don't bloom well in the hot, humid climates of the southern part of the United States. Place a light layer of mulch around the lupines to retain soil moisture and keep the roots cool in hot areas. Fertilizer Lupines generally don't require fertilizer, and too much fertilizer can encourage excess foliage growth rather than blooms.4 However, an acidifying fertilizer with more phosphorous than nitrogen is useful for lowering the soil pH of alkaline soils. These fertilizers may be labeled as "bloom boosters."5 Lupine already fixes the nitrogen in the soil, so it doesn't require more. Types of Lupine The types of lupine grown in gardens are generally hybrid crosses (Lupinus × hybrida) of various native species bred to maximize flower color and vigor. Lupinus is an enormous genus of flowering plants, comprising hundreds of species. The colorful hybrid lupines most popular for gardens were primarily derived from Lupinus polyphyllus (also called large-leaved lupine), a North American native, crossed with various other species, such as Lupinus arboreus. Although rainbow hybrid lupine seed mixes are the most popular commercially available lupine, the original blue strain is the hardiest. There are several lupine varieties available that vary in appearance, including: Russell mixed colors: Bred in 1937 and naturalized in many areas, this hybrid rainbow and bicolor mixture is the foundation for all new cultivars. Gallery series: Dense flower spikes on this compact plant grow no more than 2 feet tall. For example, 'Gallery White' boasts snowy white flower spikes. 'Dwarf Lulu': These plants grow about 2 feet tall in a rainbow of hues and feature unusually dense racemes. 'Minarette': This dwarf 18-inch variety of lupine looks stunning in drifts along a border's edge or in containers. Lupinus albus (white lupine): This taller lupine can grow up to 4 feet tall with white blossoms. Lupinus albifrons (silver lupine): This taller lupine grows between 3 to 5 feet tall with silver-green leaves topped with pale blue to purple flowers. Lupinus angustifolius (blue lupine): Also called narrowleaf lupine, this taller plant grows to 5 feet tall and has blue blooms. It is used more for agricultural use than for gardens. Propagating Lupines Because lupines sprout so easily from seed, this is the normal method for growing them, though blooming takes longer. Lupines can also be propagated by carefully taking basal cuttings from established plants in the spring and simply replanting them. Basal propagation ensures an ongoing stock of the plants, and they may bloom sooner than seeds. Take these steps: Propagate lupine cuttings in the early spring before the plant has begun to actively grow and leaf out. Use a sanitized sharp knife to sever a segment of the crown and roots from the parent plant. Transplant the new segment to a new location in the ground. Propagate lupine every two to three years, as they are short-lived plants. How to Grow Lupine From Seed Lupines are easy perennials to grow from seeds but can take two years to bloom this way. Buy lupine seeds or harvest the small round tan or green seeds from the plant's pods in the fall. Start lupines from seed in the early to late spring or late fall for the following spring season. Take these steps: Before sowing in the ground, nick the tough seed coat or soak it in water overnight to ensure a better germination rate. Plant the seeds about 1/4 inch deep outdoors in a permanent area that receives full sun. Lupines do not transplant easily due to their long taproots. Expect germination in 14 to 30 days. Potting and Repotting Lupine Plant lupine in pots in the springtime. Choose a large, deep, and heavy container to comfortably handle the plant's long taproots and top-heavy, upright growth. Use well-draining soil, space lupine plants a minimum of a foot apart, and put the container in full sun. Cut the plant back and shelter the pot over the winter to help lupines survive. Overwintering During the winter, lupines die back to the ground and go dormant. Cut the lupine stalks down to the ground, leaving 1 to 2 inches above ground. Mulch to protect the below-ground plant from freezing temperatures as it overwinters. Common Pests & Plant Diseases Lupine is vulnerable to aphids are common in spring.6 Control pests with horticultural oils or pesticides. Lupine is susceptible to lupine anthracnose which causes leaf blight and brown spots.7 Remove and destroy affected plants and avoid using the area to grow lupines for several years so the spores have time to die off. Powdery mildew from poor air circulation can impact lupines with white, powdery patches on foliage.8 Cut away the foliage and wait for regrowth or treat it with organic methods. How to Get Lupine to Bloom Bloom Months Lupine blooms from late spring into July. If they do rebloom after their first flush, they may produce smaller flowers. What Do Lupine Flowers Look and Smell Like? Hybrid lupines have a telltale look of tall, showy spires of flowers that can come in a multitude of colors. The foliage resembles palm leaves with seven to 10 leaflet segments each. Lupines have sweet scents but various types smell different. How to Encourage More Blooms Lupines planted in deep shade typically won't flower. Remedy this by trimming back neighboring shrubs and trees for more sun. A second bloom in the summer may occur but with smaller flowers. Cut back in spring after the first flowering to encourage summer blooms. What to Do With Lupine After It Blooms Deadheading lupine after it blooms and fades may result in a second flush. By the fall, cut the plants down to the ground. Common Problems With Lupine Lupine is easy to grow but there may be a couple of problems. Here's what to look for. Not Blooming Your lupines may not be blossoming because they are not getting enough sunlight, the flowers are underwatered, there's a pest infestation, or the soil does not have enough phosphorous in it. Brown Leaf Tips Lupines are susceptible to a fungus called lupine anthracnose. The leaf tips of younger lupine plants turn brown and bend. As the disease develops, more brown spots and cankers appear on the leaves. Remove and discard all infected plants. To protect surrounding plants from the fungus, use a fungicide for outdoor ornamental plants or one for Colletotrichum diseases. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides cause Lupine anthracnose.

After putting in all the effort that goes into hollowing out and carving jack-o-lanterns, no one wants to see their carved pumpkins spoil before Halloween. But, pumpkins only last for about 3 to 5 days after carving (and spoil even faster in warm weather). With Halloween just around the corner, I wanted to find out how to keep pumpkins from rotting, so I took to the internet and tracked down three viral hacks that allegedly keep pumpkins fresh longer. I gave the hacks a test run on my own pumpkins and here are the results. The Test I started my test in early October when the temperatures were around 60 degrees F during the day. I purchased 4 pumpkins that were similar in size, color, and texture to keep the test as consistent as possible. I even carved (or tried to) the same face onto each picture-perfect pumpkin. I did keep one pumpkin as a control to get a clear idea of how long pumpkins last in the conditions around my home. Below is the lineup of hacks that I tried: Diluted bleach spray: I sprayed one pumpkin daily, inside and out, with a diluted bleach spray made with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Hair spray: I sprayed one pumpkin, inside and out, with hair spray and applied this treatment only once after carving the pumpkin. Coconut oil: I rubbed coconut oil, inside and out, on one pumpkin and applied this treatment one time, right after carving. It's also biodegradable and compostable. Day 1 I cleaned the exterior of all the pumpkins with diluted bleach, carved them, applied the treatments to the test pumpkins, and set the pumpkins outside without candles. All three treatments were easy to apply, although the coconut oil was slightly messy. By evening, the control pumpkin and the pumpkin sprayed with bleach looked a little dry around their carved edges, but the other two pumpkins still looked fresh. Day 3 The weather remained warm and sunny through day 3 and, by the third day, that warmth was starting to take its toll on the control pumpkin and the pumpkin treated with bleach. These two pumpkins had already developed small patches of dark mold on their interiors, although their carved edges still looked mold-free and fresh enough for display. There was no visible mold on the hairspray and coconut oil pumpkins, but the skin near the carved sections of the hairspray pumpkin had darkened. Day 5 The difference in the pumpkins was undeniable by day 5. The weather was still pleasant and warm and all 4 pumpkins had at least some mold growing on their interiors; however, the coconut oil pumpkin had significantly less mold than the other three pumpkins and its carving still looked fresh. The hairspray pumpkin had a fair amount of mold on its interior but was still displayable. The control and bleach pumpkins, however, had mold growing along their carved eyes and mouths and did not look fresh. Days 6 through 10 Most pumpkin lovers would have disposed of the control and bleach pumpkins by day 5 or 6 due to visible mold, but I kept the experiment going a little longer. By day 10, all four pumpkins had dark mold on their interiors and carved sections, but the coconut oil pumpkin had much less mold than the other pumpkins. The carved edges of the coconut oil pumpkin also looked fresher and displayed less wrinkling and warping. Final Verdict Honorable mention: the hairspray treatment, which did appear to repel mold better than the bleach treatment. The clear winner: coconut oil. While the coconut oil treatment was messier to apply, it kept the pumpkin’s carved edges from drying out, significantly inhibited mold growth by at least 3 days compared to the control, and kept the pumpkin in displayable shape for at least 10 days. Considering the results of this experiment, I plan to wipe the pumpkins I carve for trick-or-treat night down with coconut oil after I carve them. But I’m also going to carve those pumpkins when the weather is cooler to help them stay fresh even longer.