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Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis) are one of spring’s most enchanting perennials, beloved for their graceful, arching stems adorned with heart-shaped flowers that dangle like tiny pendants. Native to shaded woodlands in Siberia, northern China, Korea, and Japan, they’re perfectly suited to USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9, making them a reliable choice…
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February 15, 2026 It’s actually been two weeks since my last “This week in the nursery” post. A lot has happened! We cleaned up one of our terrace levels, potted up a whole lot of plants to grow out, and started a lot of baby plants from cuttings and divisions. We emptied out our potting…
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February 2, 2026 It’s been a fairly productive week for us, especially with the warmer weather. I set up a bunch of seeds, including Pacific dogwood, loquat, jujube, pawpaw, and blue sausage fruit (also called by the less-than-enticing Dead Man’s Fingers). I’ll be setting up some more tree seeds this week, along with wintersowing some…
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January 25, 2026 I have to admit, I veered from my original plans to do a lot of cuttings and instead dedicated this past week to cleanup, mainly because I wanted to stay active during the cold weather to keep warm. I organized our high tunnel, cleaned up a big part of our sunny sales…
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January 18, 2026 Last week, we started taking hardwood cuttings of our plants and taking stock of what we need to do before spring sales (it’s a lot). Yes, we are open to the public this year in April and May! I’m also hoping to have one or two preview sales at the end of…
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For millennia, figs have been valued not just as food but as medicine. Ancient physicians prescribed them for digestive complaints, respiratory ailments, and general weakness. Traditional medicine systems from Mediterranean to Asian cultures incorporated figs into their healing practices. Modern science is now validating many of these traditional uses, revealing that figs contain an impressive…
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Figs are among the easiest fruit trees to propagate, and rooting cuttings maintains the exact characteristics of the parent tree. This is how most fig trees are propagated commercially and how fig varieties have spread for thousands of years. Take cuttings in late winter while trees are dormant. Choose healthy, one-year-old wood (last season’s growth)…
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Growing figs combines history, horticulture, and harvest in a uniquely satisfying way. These trees connect you to thousands of years of agricultural tradition while providing delicious fruit with minimal fuss. Whether you’re cultivating a tiny Chicago Hardy in a pot on a Minnesota balcony or managing a backyard orchard of Mission figs in California, you’re…
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Growing your own fig tree is one of the most rewarding endeavors in home gardening. These ancient trees combine ease of cultivation with generous productivity, thriving in a wide range of climates and requiring minimal care once established. Whether you have a sprawling backyard in California or a small balcony in New York, there’s a…
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Few fruits can claim a relationship with humanity as ancient and intertwined as the fig. From the earliest whispers of agriculture to the tables of emperors and the pages of sacred texts, figs have been cultivating civilization just as surely as humans have been cultivating them. This is the story of how a Mediterranean fruit…