Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) were first cultivated in Sicily for their sweet fragrance and butterfly-like flowers in hues of white, pink, red, violet, and purple (among others). Introduced to England in the late 17th century, these climbing annuals later became a...
Bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, has been cultivated in China for over 1,500 years. In Cantonese, the name “bok choy” means “white vegetable,” referring to its pale, crunchy stems. Over time, this nutritious vegetable spread globally and became an...
Are you the neighborhood brown thumb? The wannabee master gardener who has mastered only plant destruction? There may be a problem with your gardening technique (duh!) that undermines the health of your plants. In this blog, we list the most common gardening mistakes...
The gardenia comes from tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The plant adapts well to Southern California’s Mediterranean climate and rewards the attentive gardener with fragrant, creamy white blossoms from late spring...
A head of commercial lettuce receives 4–6 applications of insecticide, 3–4 applications of fungicide, and 1 application of herbicide before it reaches your plate. Yep, that lettuce in your crisp lunch salad is loaded with vitamin K, vitamin A, and chemicals. Going...
