Bishop's Flower

Botanical Name: Ammi majus (Apiaceae)
Other name: False Queen Anne's Lace, White Lace, White Dill, Bullwort

Description
An erect, branching annual easily established from seed. Native to North Africa and Eurasia, it has naturalized throughout much of the United States. The plant produces an abundance of large, rounded, five to six inch flower heads made up of small snow-white florets. Looks very similar to Queen Anne's lace and will produce blooms the first year.

How to grow
Bishops Flowers prefer full sun but will tolerate some light shade. Ordinary garden soil that is kept evenly moist will do just fine. Requires a minimal amount of moisture once established. Deadhead or remove spent flowers to prolong blooming period. Plant 4 to 6 weeks before the average last frost date. Ammi can be grown as a pot or accent plant and is much sought after as a cut flower.

Height: 2 1/2-3 feet
Germination: 7-25 days
Optimum soil temperature for germination: 55F-65F
Sowing depth: 1/16"
Blooming period: May-August

Chicory

Botanical name: Cichorium intybus
Other name: Blue Daisy, Blue Sailors, Coffeeweed, Succor, Belgian Endive, French Endive

Description
Chicory is a perennial with stems that are two to three feet high, with numerous and spreading lateral branches, growing at a very considerable angle from the central stem, so that the plant does not appear rich and full. Chicory is one of only two species that comprise the genus, Cichorium, endive being the other.

This hardy and attractive plant is due to become one of my favourite weeds. It has been introduced to the farm via the vegetable garden and after it sets seed, should become well established on the farm.

Chicory grows wild in Europe and many cultivars have been selected for garden and medicinal use. Young leaves give a boost to salads adding a little bitterness and flavour to the mix. Chicory produces a deep tap root and is able to survive harsh conditions. Being such a tasty weed, I am happy to see some plants growing on the farm. Growing in the wrong place however, this plant can become a persistent weed. Chicory is a prolific plant that thrives in places where nothing else will grow. Some consider it a weed, while others appreciate its beauty and culinary virtue.

How to grow

The way you go about growing chicory will depend on whether you plan on using its root, grown as a coffee alternative, or its leaf, which is used in salads. To harvest the root, simply dig it up once the plant is grown. The leaf can be picked and eaten at the end of the summer, blanched to minimize bitterness, or forced and enjoyed during the winter months.

Planting Chicory

Step 1
Prepare the soil. Chicory does best in well-drained soil that is rich in nutrients. However, chicory will also grow in other soils if they are enriched with plenty of manure and organic fertilizers.

Step 2
Sow the chicory seeds 8 inches to 1 foot apart, and 1 inch deep. Do this early, in late spring to early summer, about a month after the last frost.

Step 3
Wait for your crop to sprout, and thin the seedlings so that they are no more than 9 inches apart. Germination time for a chicory plant is anywhere from one to three weeks.

Step 4
Keep your sprouts free of weeds and water well. If you would like to harvest your plant and use the root, you may do so after four months. The leaf may also be picked from the garden and used in a fresh salad.

Benefit
Medicinally, Chicory has been used to treat skin disorders, gout, jaundice and to reduce an enlarged liver. As a poultice, Chicory was thought to improve inflammations, swellings, bruises and eye disorders. In India, the plant is still used by herbalists used to treat dyspepsia, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and skin allergies. Animal studies have revealed that Chicory can lower pulse rate and reduce cholesterol levels.

Shirley Poppy Mixed

Botanical name: Papaver rhoeas (Papaveraceae)
Other name: Shirley Poppy Single Mix

Description
A hardy annual native to Europe, but has been naturalized throughout the United States. These annual poppies are among the easiest flowers to grow. These delightfully scented flowers come in brilliant shades of scarlet, pale pink, salmon, rose and white. The two to three inch flowers come in single form. Ideal for cutting bed, border, wildflower meadows. Shirley Poppies make excellent cut flowers. Cut them just before they open, and sear the bottom of the stems over an open flame.


How to grow
Poppy seeds are very tiny. If you plan to broadcast them, they should be sown thinly, and this is sometimes easier if you mix the seeds with sand. In colder zones (3-7) sprinkle the seeds outdoors in late fall. They don't need to be covered. They will germinate in the spring when the ground thaws. Seeds can also be sown in the spring. In warmer zones, seeds will germinate in fall and you'll have blossoms in late winter.

Height in inches: 24-36"
Spread: 8-12 inches for beds and borders
Germination: 10-30 days
Soil Temp. for Germination: 60-70F
Sowing Depth: Surface sow. These seeds are very small.
Blooming Season: Spring/Summer
Light: Full sun & light
Soil: well-drained soil with not too fertile.
Flower color: scarlet, pale pink, salmon, rose and white.

Shasta Daisy

Botanical name: Chrysanthemum maximum "Alaska" (Asteraceae)

Description
A hardy perennial, forming dense colonies once established. Native to Europe, it has naturalized throughout all regions of the United States. The white petalled flowers with golden yellow centers are borne individually on single erect stems. Compared to its cousin, the Ox-Eyed Daisy, Shasta Daisies generally grow 6 to 12 inches taller and have a larger flower head diameter. Excellent as a ground cover or border plant since the foliage is attractive and remains green all year. It is an ideal cut flower, lasting up to 10 days in arrangements.

How to grow
Prefers full sun to partial shade in fertile soil. This perennial thrives in rich, moist soil, as long as it drains well - especially in winter. These plants are heavy feeders, and will benefit from an application of liquid or granular perennial fertilizer in the spring, and again in mid-summer.

Height: 1-3 feet
Germination: 15-30 days
Optimum soil temperature for germination: 70F
Sowing depth: 1/16"
Blooming period: June-September
USDA hardiness zones 3-8

California Bluebell

Botanical name: Phacelia campanularia (Hydrophyllaceae)
Other name: Desert Blue Bells, Desert Bell, Wild Canterbury Bell

Description
A hardy annual native to the western United Satates and adapted to very arid environments. The stunning deep blue, bell-shaped flowers are highlighted by long golden stamens. Leaves are heart-shaped, covered with soft white hairs closely resembling an African Violet. Prefers full sun in very sandy or well-drained soils. Sow in early spring, seedlings are not winter hardy. One of Mother Natures most extravagant shades of blue. The plant does well in poor sandy soil and makes a splendid pot plant.

How to grow
Likes full sun, and is accustom to hot days and cool nights. Prefers sandy or gravelly areas. Very Drought tolerant after seedlings are established in well drained areas. However, if kept watered during the blooming period, these little flowers will maintain a longer flowering cycle. Most striking when sown in mass. The eye-catching flowers last 3 to 4 weeks.

Origin: Sandy or gravelly areas of Southern California
Height: 8-24 inches
Germination: 15-30 days
Optimum soil temperature for germination: 60-70F
Soil Preferences: Like all desert species, prefers gritty, fast-draining conditions.
Sowing depth: 1/16"
Blooming period: February-June
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-10

Godetia / Farewell-to-Spring

Description
Farewell to Spring is a flowering plant native to western North America, found in coastal hills and mountains from British Columbia south to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is an annual plant growing to 1 m tall, with slender, linear leaves 2-7 cm long and 2-6 mm broad. The flowers are pink to pale purple, with four broad petals 1.5-6 cm long. The fruit is a dry capsule, which splits open when mature to release the numerous seeds.

How to grow
Farewell-to-Spring is a lovely heirloom annual that will bring vivid color and charm to your garden, windowboxes or containers. It is an ideal cut flower, and looks good in large pots.

Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade
Origin: California
Watering Needs: Keep the soil moist, needs good drainage, prefers a sandy soil
Propagation: Seeds
Seed Depth: Press into surface
Seed Spacing: 1"
Germination: 5 - 15
Best in USDA Hardiness zones 7-10.
Thinning: When 1" tall thin to 12" apart
Flowering: 3 months from seed germination
Blooming: From summer to early fall

Foxglove 'Excelsior' Mix Seeds

Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea (Scrophulariaceae)
Other name: Common Foxglove, Purple Foxglove, Finger Flower, Fairy Glove

Description
Foxglove is a bienneial herbal plant with soft, hairy, toothed, ovate and lance-shaped leaves in a basal rosette. The life span of the plant is 2 seasons. The first year growth remains in a basal rosette of leaves. Second year growth produces flowering stems, 3 -6 feet in height. Flower spikes have purple to white spotted thimble-like flowers which hang down and last about six days. The leaves of the Common Foxglove are the source of the medicinal drug digitalis. The whole plant is poisonous. Foxglove is a source of digitalis prescribed by doctors to strengthen the heart and regulate its beat. Drugs based on digitalis extract, such as Digitoxin and Digoxin, are some of the best known treatments to control the heart rate.

How to grow
They need a soil rich in organic matter to be at their best. Sow them in pots in late summer (early fall, or inside in Phoenix). The seeds should not be covered with soil, but just pressed in. Transplant in late fall. Set the young foxglove plants 1 foot apart (30 cm).

Sun Exposure: Light shade to full sun
Origin: Central Europe
Growth Habits: Biennial or short lived perennial, up to 5 feet tall (1.5 m), up to 2 feet in spread (60 cm)
Watering Needs: Regular water, good drainage
Propagation: Seeds in fall or division. Self seed easily
USDA: 5-10
Germination: 20-30 days,
Soil temperature for germination: 60-65F
Suggested use: Shaded areas, wildflower mixes, waste places.