Growing Guides

Greek dwarf basil is a compact, globe-shaped basil covered in tiny, tender leaves, perfect for pots, windowsills, and small gardens. It naturally forms a neat little mound, so it stays tidy and ornamental with almost no pruning. The mild, sweet...

Cinnamon basil brings a warm, spicy twist to the classic herb, with a true cinnamon fragrance layered over sweet basil. Its glossy green leaves, pretty purple stems, and purple flower spikes make it as ornamental as it is useful in...

Lima beans, also known as butter beans, are the creamy, buttery shelling bean worth waiting for. This is a bush lima that needs no trellis, but it does ask for more warmth and a longer season than snap beans, so...

Bush Contender is a reliable, early heirloom snap bean that has earned its place in gardens for good reason. It forms a compact, self-supporting bush that needs no trellis, then loads itself with long, round, stringless green pods in about...

Sweet corn (Zea mays) is one of summer's great rewards, and it tastes best straight from your own garden, minutes off the stalk. It is a tall, warm-season grass that you direct-sow after your last frost, and the one trick...

Sugar Pie is a small, sweet heirloom pumpkin bred for the kitchen rather than the porch. Its fine-grained, deep-orange flesh is smooth and richly flavored, making it the classic choice for pies, purees, and soups. The compact 4 to 8...

Scallop Early White Bush is a classic patty-pan summer squash with flat, round, creamy-white fruit and pretty scalloped, flying-saucer edges. It is a fast, compact bush plant that starts producing in about 50 days and keeps going all season when...

Sorrel is a hardy perennial green with bright, tangy, lemony leaves that add a citrusy lift to salads, soups, and sauces. This guide covers how to grow sorrel from seed, from an easy spring direct sowing to cut-and-come-again harvesting all...

Golden Crookneck is the classic heirloom summer squash, easy to spot by its bright golden-yellow color, curved narrow neck, and lightly bumpy skin. It grows on a productive bush that starts bearing in about 50 days and keeps setting fruit...