Garlic (Allium sativum) was first cultivated over 5,000 years ago in regions of modern-day Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Ancient trade routes introduced it to the Mediterranean, Africa, and eventually the Americas. The ancient Egyptians believed it boosted...
Flowering vines can sense vibrations from nearby supports and grow toward them — a remarkable adaptation that makes them peerless problem-solvers in the garden. While trees and shrubs demand extensive root systems and thick trunks, vines invest their energy in...
Does the name evoke images of steamy tropical romance? It shouldn’t. “Passion” refers to the Passion of Christ. 17th-century Spanish missionaries in South America saw the flowers as symbols of the crucifixion and named the plant accordingly. Passion...
You can’t see them. You don’t pay them. They work for free. Are we talking about nocturnal elves? Only if you’re a fairytale cobbler. In the garden, soil microbes are your champion workers and BFFs. They keep your plants healthy, boost soil...
Mark Twain called it “the most delicious fruit known to men.” He was referring to the cherimoya, a living fossil from the highland valleys of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Ripe cherimoya spoils quickly and is hard to ship, so it’s considered a luxury...
