Learn to grow broccoli in your backyard garden. Broccoli has an interesting growth habit, one developed through thousands of years of cultivation. The dome-shaped flower head grows on a thick stalk. Credit:Getty Images Harvest 50-90 days after spring planting to enjoy in early summer. Broccoli is generally slow-growing and is best planted in the spring or early fall. Read on for our growing guide. The heads are incredibly nutritious, with substantial amounts of protein, calcium, and iron....

Their bright and colorful leaves make caladiums easy to love. Ralph Anderson Key Takeaways Caladiums are tropical plants grown for their foliage. The color and bright leaves make allvarieties of caladiumseasy to love. Credit:Ralph Anderson Originally, caladiums wereshade plants, but plant breeders have introduced selections that tolerate some direct sun. These tubers aregrown as annualsin the Upper and Middle South but will return every year in a frost-free climate. Plant them in warm soil in the spring after the last frost....

These tropical houseplants charm with their stunning striped or otherwise patterned foliage. The leaves noticeably lift and dip in a circadian rhythm. Thesepretty houseplantsthrive with minimal maintenance. They do best in bright, indirect light but also tolerate low-light conditions. There are 60 different calathea species and many cultivars with striped or otherwise patterned leaves. When grown as houseplants, calatheas rarely bloom. They don’t need frequent watering. good idea to water calatheas every one to two weeks at the most....

This beautiful, flowering shrub loves the Southern climate. Key Takeaways The South is the heart of camellia country. Indeed, common camellia(Camellia japonica)is even Alabama’s state flower. Credit:Ngoc Minh Ngo More than 3,000 named kinds of camellias exist in a remarkable range of colors, forms, and sizes. They arenot browsed by deer, another plus point for life outdoors in the South. Read on for more tips on planting and tending camellias....

These easy-to-grow plants are often referred to as canna lilies. Plant the rhizomes after the last frost. Once the weather warms up and sprouts emerge, they grow quickly and start blooming in about three months. Credit:Getty Images The name comes from the Greek word kanna, meaning a reed or reed-like plant. Heres everything you better know about growing and caring for cannas in the South. Nikki Snowis an owner ofHorn Canna Farmin Carnegie, Oklahoma....

Heres how to grow fresh, crispy carrots. Carrots need full sun and loose, fertile soil to grow. Plant them in early summer or in late fall for a spring crop. Credit: Alter_photo/Getty Images It’s typically around 80% or lower, meaning 80 out of 100 seeds germinate. Here’s what you gotta know to grow carrots. Wesley Palmer is a Southeastern territory sales representative forJohnny’s Selected Seeds. Preparing the soil and removing obstacles like rocks and sticks is key....

Enjoy the blooms of this low-maintenance perennial year after year. Getty Images Catmint plant (Nepetaspp.) is one of the prettiest low-maintenance perennials you could grow in your garden. Credit:Getty Images Its tough as nails and thrives in sand, clay, or rocky soils. As a member of the mint family, its pungent scent also makes it unattractive to rabbits and deer. Fast-growing catmint is heat and drought-tolerant once established, too. Credit:Getty Images...

This joyful plant will make you happy every time you see it in your Southern garden. Chamomile’s scientific name isChamaemelum nobile,and it has many other common names as well. It’s also known as Roman chamomile, true chamomile, and garden chamomile. Credit:Southern Living/Adrienne Legault You may also hear it referred to as ground apple, sweet chamomile, or low chamomile. It is a low-maintenance plant with a spreading habit that produces small white daisy-like flowers....

Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) grows almost anywhere and comes with cooling blue or white flowers. These plants also produce black fruit the size of a peppercorn. Shrubs are best planted in the spring to establish their roots before winter dormancy. Credit:Photo by Steve Bender This shrub is easy-to-grow but requires pruning as its spreading character makes it invasive if left unchecked. Chaste trees require full sun exposure and are usually winter-hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 9....

Your complete guide to cherry blossom trees in the South. One of theearliest harbingers of springis the cherry blossom tree (Prunus spp. ), which bursts into pink and white clouds of cotton candy blossoms in March and April. Credit:masahiro Makino/Getty Images Cherry blossom trees are known assakurain Japan, where the blooms are symbols of renewal and hope. Picnicking beneath the trees is a longstanding Japanese tradition, known ashanami. In late summer, pea-size fruits make an appearance....

Enjoy homegrown cherry tomatoes from your garden or container plants, no matter where you live. They are prolific producers, mature faster thanstandard tomatoes, and are easy to grow. The tomatoes are super juicy, extra flavorful, and they are eye candy too. Credit: Getty Images Cherry tomatoes come in practically every color of the rainbow. There are both indeterminate and determinate cherry tomato varieties. Indeterminate tomatoes produce fruit for several months, while determinate tomatoes produce a single heavy crop....

Plant Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) trees for shade and gorgeous fall color. Pinnate green leaves turn red, orange, or yellow in fall. Chinese pistache trees are considered invasive in some states, including Texas and North Carolina. Credit:Mark Miller Photos / Getty Images The roots are well-behaved, making it a safe choice near blacktop and concrete. The grayish-brown bark becomes textured and flaky as the tree matures, exposing orangey inner bark when chipped away....

The classic Chinese snowball bush has graced Southern gardens for generations. Statuesque in scale, one shrub is all you oughta make a statement. Also called Chinese snowball bush, this shrub is laden withhydrangea-like blooms. Credit:Viktoriia Kuzmenka / Getty Images Give it ample room and plant just one or two in a suburban-sized yard in the spring or fall. It will grow pretty quickly at up to 2 feet a year....