Gardening the Aluma Way

Learn how to prepare your garden beds for planting! See how to apply compost and organic fertilizer, set up irrigation, check soil for watering, and plant seedlings in the ground!

See different techniques to keep your garden weed-free!

Learn the importance of trellising your delicate tomato plants!

Watch Andrea plant beans (and dance to the groovy tunes!)

Specific Growing Instructions for Veggies, Herbs, and Flowers:

Vegetables

Broccoli: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Variety Belstar

Growing information: Full sun to light shade; broccoli prefers cooler weather; plant outside in mid-March in spring, or end of August in fall. for best results, in well drained soil that has been amended with compost.

Bok Choi: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Variety: Mei Qing

Growing information: Full sun to part shade. Can be planted from early spring through end of fall. Can grow up to 8", but is formed and ready to harvest for baby bok choi earlier. Delicious sauteed, stir fried, in soups!

Cabbage: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Varieties: Napa and Green Storage

Growing information: Full sun to light shade. Harvest when the cabbage has headed up- when the cabbage in the center of the leaves is dense and firm. Both Napa and our green cabbage are delicious eaten raw, sauteed, or fermented.

Chard: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Varieties: Peppermint, Orange Stem

Growing information: Full sun to light shade. Plant 12-18" apart. Harvest, starting by breaking off the outer leaves, when leaves are desired size. Clear dead or damaged leaves at time of harvest to ensure plant health.

Collards: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Variety: Flash

Growing information: Full sun to light shade. Plant 12-18" apart. Harvest, starting by breaking off the outer leaves, when leaves are desired size. Clear dead or damaged leaves at time of harvest to ensure plant health.

Cucumber: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

Varieties:

• Poona Kheera-Smooth skinned cucumbers that turn from white to yellow to brown. Harvest once skin is mostly brown.

• Lemon Cucumber-Small, pale yellow cucumber. Usually eaten raw, but good for pickling as well. Harvest when light yellow.

• Green Finger-6-8" green fruits. Good for slicing. Harvest when fruit becomes less ribbed, and the ends are rounded.

• Suyo Long-Long, ribbed fruit that can grow up to 15". Good for eating fresh or pickling. Harvest when desired size, and when the ends of the fruit are more rounded than pointed.

Growing information: Full sun. Plant after danger of last frost in well-drained soil, 2 feet apart. Cucumbers will climb, and require a trellis, cage, or stake. Once fruiting, cucumbers should be harvested every few days to ensure continued production. Harvest by cutting fruits, instead of pulling or tearing.

Eggplant: Annual, Growing Season: Summer,

Varieties:

• Ping Tung Long: Fruits are dark purple, skinny (1-2 inch diameter) and up to 8-10 inches long when mature.

• Annina: Fruits are the classic rounded Italian eggplant shape, with purple and white streaked skin.

• Traviatta: Classic Italian dark purple eggplant.

Growing Information: Full sun. Plant after danger of last frost in well-drained soil, 2 feet apart. May require support (stake, trellis, tomato cage) to prevent breakage when they start fruiting. Can do well in containers. Harvest when the skin is shiny-matte, and the fruit is firm, but with some give.

Green Onions: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Variety: Evergreen Hardy

Growing Information: Full sun to part shade. Plant 2-4 inches apart anytime from March-June or September-November. Harvest when plants are the diameter of your finger and 18-24 inches tall. Pull plants cleanly from the soil to harvest.

Kale: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall,

Varieties:

• Lacinato/Toscano/Dinosaur: Dark green, savoyed, oval shaped leaves.

• Winterbor: Bright green, ruffled and curled leaves- classic green curly kale.

Growing Information: Full sun to light shade. Plant 12-18" apart. Harvest, starting by breaking off the outer leaves, when leaves are desired size. Clear dead or damaged leaves at time of harvest to ensure plant health.

Kohlrabi: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Varieties: Terek, Kolibri

Growing Information: Prefers cool weather, so best to plant in early spring, or in fall for winter harvest. Full sun, 6- 8" apart. Harvest when bulbs are 2-3" in diameter.

Lettuce: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Varieties: Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Romaine

Growing Information: Full sun to part shade. Plant late February-mid April for spring, and until late September for fall, leaving 6" of space between plants. Can be harvested multiple times if cut high enough to allow for regrowth.

Okra: Annual, Growing Season: Summer, Variety: Texas Hill Country Red

Full sun, well drained soil. Plant after danger of last frost 18" apart. Okra grows TALL (up to 10-12 feet!) so be sure to choose a spot where it won't shade out other sun-loving plants. Pick pods when 2" or longer, and when the tip feels flexible (it doesn't break and feel woody).

Hot and Specialty Peppers: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

Growing information: Full sun, plant after danger of last frost in well drained soil, 2 feet apart. Good in containers. Trellis plant to prevent breakage.

Varieties:

• Aji Chinchi Amarillo: Classic Peruvian spice pepper, medium hot. Bright yellow in color, long skinny shape like a Cayenne.

• Aji Dulce: Harvest when peppers are bright orange-red. Sweet, herbal/floral, mildly spicy taste.

• Aji Rico: Red, sweet, barely hot peppers with 3-4" fruits. Great in salsas, or dried and used as pepper flakes.

• Buena Mulata Cayenne: Multi-colored, starting out purple and passing through salmon and orange to finally ripe red. Fruits are4-5 inches long. Hottest when ripened to red, but can be eaten at any color.

• Habanero, Combahee Red: Bright red fruits, thin skin, VERY SPICY, with a floral undertone.

• Habanada: Just like habanero, but bred to be mild instead of hot! Harvest when peppers are light orange. Floral flavor.

• Jalapeno: Classic green, delicious pickled or sliced raw. Harvest when peppers are large and tips are round rather than pointed.

• Trinidad Perfume: Looks like a yellow Habanero, but with little heat and lots of flavor!

Squash: Annual, Growing Season: Summer, Varieties: Zuchinni, Yellow Straightneck

Growing information: Full sun. Plant after danger of last frost, 18-24" apart. Fruits are ready to be harvested when the flower at the end of squash has died and falls off easily.

Sweet Peppers: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

Growing information: Full sun, plant after danger of last frost in well drained soil, 2 feet apart. Good in containers. Trellis plant to prevent breakage. Harvest when fruits are fully their mature- yellow, orange, or red!

Varieties:

• Lunchbox: Small, 3-4 inch long peppers, mix of yellow, orange, and red fruited plants, all super sweet and crunchy!

• Carmen: Red sweet peppers, longer and skinnier than a bell pepper, harvest when 50% bright red in color

• Flavorburst: Classic bell pepper shape, harvest when bright green or yellow- crisp and refreshing

Tomato: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

General instructions:

Plant in full sun (at least six hours per day of sun), after danger of last frost, 2 feets apart. Plant them deep- they can develop roots along their stem, so bury them a few inches. Tomatoes require well-drained and well amended soil. Be careful not to water too much once they are mature, and try to avoid wetting the leaves to prevent disease. Can do well in a container. Fertilize while planting, and again throughout fruiting season if needed. Determinate varieties are bushier and tend to fruit a lot for a short amount of time. They do well with support in the form of a trellis, stake, or cage. Indeterminate varieties grow tall and vine, and will produce fruit over a longer period of time. They do best when pruned, and require a trellis, stake, or cage.

Varieties:

Heirloom: Tomatoes that have been grown from seed saved for many generations. Often beautiful colored and full flavored, but less resistant to pests and disease

• Striped German: Indeterminate. Large orange fruit with pink stripes.

• Cherokee Green: Indeterminate. Similar to Cherokee Purple tomatoes, but when ripe, the flesh turns bright green and the skin becomes yellow-green.

• Prudens Purple: Indeterminate. Dark pink skin and bright red flesh.

• Carbon, Black Krim: Indeterminate. Dark purple-black tomato.

• Granadero: Indeterminate. Paste (roma) tomatoes- drier, denser flesh, ideal for use in sauces or cooked down for tomato paste.

Cherry: Small, (less than 1 inch) fruits that grow in clusters on the plant. They ripen quickly are are delicious snacks!

• Sungold: Indeterminate. Orange-yellow cherry tomatoes with a bright, acidic flavor.

• Black Cherry: Indeterminate. Dark purple-brown cherry tomato.

• Sakura: Indeterminate. Bright red medium-large cherry tomato.

Beefsteak: Classic slicing tomatoes, usually more firm than heirlooms, with better pest and disease resistance.

• Martha Washington: Indeterminate. Soft, pink slicing tomato.

• Damsel: Indeterminate, pink slicer, fruits 2-4 inches across

• Chef's Choice Orange: Indeterminate. Orange, low acid, beefsteak tomato.

• Grand Marshall: Indeterminate. Large, red beefsteak tomato. Especially suited for heat in the South!

• BHN 589: Determinate. Large, red tomatoes. Good shelf life, and high yields!

Turnip: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall, Variety: Hakurei

Full sun or light shade; roots will do better in full sun, but if you're more interested in the greens, they can tolerate some shade. Plant 2-4" apart to give the roots space to form. They can tolerate some frost. This variety is has white roots that are tender enough to eat raw! Harvest when greens and/or roots reach desired size.

Fruits

Strawberry: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Summer

Growing information: Full sun, good, rich and well drained soil with plenty of organic material (compost is your friend!) Plant 12" apart. Make sure to prepare the area for planting to ensure soil quality, and weed frequently. Mulch with pine straw to suppress weeds and prevent fruits from rotting quickly. Can do well in containers, and overwinter indoors!

Cantaloupe: Annual, Growing Season: Summer, Variety: Divergent

Growing information: Full Sun, loose, rich soil. Plant will vine, so give plenty of space (at least 2 ft on all sides.) Harvest when the skin under the raised webbing is no longer green.

Watermelon: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

Varieties:

• Moon and Stars: Heirloom, dark green rind with yellow “stars,” dark red flesh, can grow very large (up to 40 lb!)

• Sugar baby: Classic mini watermelon, dark green rind with bright pink flesh, grows to 4-9 lbs.

• Orange Glo: Heirloom with light green rind and tender orange flesh, grows to 8-12 lbs.

Growing Information: Full sun, light, rich soil. Not frost hardy- plant well after danger of last frost. Plant with 18" spacing. Watermelon harvest is famously tricky! To tell when the melon is ready to harvest look for these three signs: 1. The curly tendril on the vine nearest the plant should be dead and withered 2. The spot on the underside of the fruit where it rests on the ground should be yellow 3. When you flick the melon with your fingers, the sound should be deeper and more hollow.

Herbs

Basil: Annual, Growing Season: Summer, Varieties: Genovese and Red Rubin

Growing information: Genovese (green) and Rubins (red) Basil both require full sun, and good moisture throughout the growing season. Plant in a container or in well drained soil after last frost, 4" apart. Harvest individual leaves or tips (including the flower, which has the same flavor as the leaves) once the plant is well established- around 6-8" tall. Pinching off the tips will encourage the plant to grow bushier.

Borage: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

Growing information: Full sun, does well in average and even poor soils. Plant with 12" spacing. Borage produces edible blue flowers with a mild cucumber flavor. Great for pollinators.

Catnip: Perennial

Growing information: Prefers full sun, but tolerates light shade. Does best in sandier soil, but hardy anywhere once established. Flowers are great pollinator attractors! Can be dried for cats (or for people- great in teas!)

Cilantro: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Fall

Growing information: Full sun to light shade, plant in well-drained soil, or in a container. Harvest once the plants are mature- around 12" tall. Bolting (flowering) will likely happen when the weather gets hot- if you let the seeds dry on the plant, you can harvest them for coriander!

Chamomile: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Summer

Growing information: Full sun, light, well drained soil. Chamomile flowers should be gathered when fully open, and can be dried for teas. 3-4 cuttings per seasons possible with good conditions.

Dill: Annual, Growing Season: Spring/Summer

Growing information: Prefers full sun, and can tolerate most soil types. Space 4-6" apart. Foliage is edible, and can be harvested once flowering begins. Let seeds dry on the plant to a golden-brown color before harvesting.

Fennel: Annual, Growing Season: Fall/Spring

Growing information: Full sun, well drained soil. Plant 6" apart. Harvest by clipping or cutting the bottom, below the bulb, once it reaches desired size. Delicious, crisp, lightly licorice-flavored bulb is great in salads, sauteed, or roasted.

Garlic Chives: Perennial

Growing information: A delicate, garlic flavored leaf that grows well in full sun or part shade. Harvest individual outer leaves once plant is well established, before flowering begins. Flowers are edible, and can be used in bouquets. Garlic chives can be eaten fresh or dried.

Lemonbalm: Perennial

Growing information: Full sun or part shade, similar growing habit to mint, will spread but is more upright. Delicious citrusy herbal flavor- dries easily for teas.

Lemongrass: Tender Perennial, Growing Season: Summer (take indoors for winter)

Growing information: Full sun and average to moist soil. Space 12-18" apart. Lemongrass is an attractive bunchgrass that can be grown well in containers or in the ground. Leaf stalks can be harvested and dried for teas, or used fresh in cooking. Lemongrass does well as an annual in Atlanta, but must be overwintered indoors to survive as a perennial.

Mint: Perennial

Growing information: Mint is a hardy, easy to grow perennial that does well in full or part shade. Plant in moist soil, 18" apart. Good in containers or in ground- but be careful! It can spread aggressively if left without any barriers.

Mountain Mint: Perennial

Growing information: Minty flavored and scented flowers and leaves are beautiful, great for pollinators, and delicious. Plant does best in full sun, and moist but well drained soil. Taller and bushier habit than common mint.

Oregano: Perennial

Growing information: Plant in full sun to part shade, in well drained soil, 12" apart. Spreads and clumps. Harvest by cutting back stems to 2" above the ground once flowers start to appear. Can be cut back several times during the growing season.

Parsley: Annual, Growing Season: Fall/Winter/Spring

Growing information: Full sun to light shade, well drained soil. Plant 8-12" apart. Does well in containers or in ground. Harvest outer leaves and stems, leaving newer growth.

Roselle Hibiscus: Annual, Growing Season: Summer

Growing information: Roselle requires full sun and well drained soil. It is not frost tolerant, so be sure to plant after danger of last frost. Can grow to be up to 7' tall without pruning, so be sure to give it plenty of space! The leaves are edible, and work well in soups and stews, as well as mixed in with salads for a citrusy, tangy flavor. The calyx (the bright red part that contains the seed and is revealed after the flower falls off) is delicious in teas, jams, and sauces for a cranberry-like flavor.

Rosemary: Perennial

Growing Information: Prefers full sun, but tolerates light shade. Plant 24-36" apart- rosemary can grow large and bushy! Does great in containers or in the ground. Delicious dried or fresh. Harvest individual stems from the plant.

Sage: Perennial

Growing information: Grows well in most soils, in full sun or part shade. Plant 12" apart. In the first year, harvest individual leaves; after the first year, you can cut the plant back to 6" above the ground as flowers are opening. Hang in small bunches to dry.

Thyme: Perennial

Growing information: Full sun or part shade. Does best in light, well drained soil. Clumping habit. Plant 6-8" apart. Harvest lightly the first year to make sure the plant survives the winter.

Flowers

Ageratum: Tender Perennial, Blooms in Summer

Growing information: Easy to grow flower, with soft, fluffy blooms that turn from bright blue to a paler shade! Full sun to part shade, plant will mound, so plant 12" apart to allow spread. Great for borders, or in containers!

Agrostemma: Annual, Blooms in Spring

Growing information: Plant in full sun, 6-9" apart. Can be planted before last frost, as Agrostemma prefers cool weather. Beautiful purple-y speckled blooms on delicate stems!

Bee Balm: Perennial, Blooms in Summer, Variety: Wild Bergamot

Growing information: Perennial, medicinal, and great for pollinators! Bee Balm has bright lavender colored flowers with a spicy, pepper-y smell and flavor. Plant 12-18" apart in full sun to part shade, and keep soil moist. Can re-bloom if cut back mid-summer.

Calendula: Annual, Blooms in Summer, Variety: Flashback

Growing Information: Plant in full sun to part shade, 6-12" apart. Warm orange, pink, and rust colored blooms with edible petals. Also great for bouquets!

Celosia: Annual, Blooms in Summer

Growing information: We have a few varieties of celosia- some with spike-shaped flowers, some are the cockscomb variety. Colors range among red, pink, orange, yellow, salmon, and bronze. All require full sun, and are great for bouquets or as dried flowers. Plant 6-12" apart. Great in containers.

Echinacea (purple coneflower): Perennial, Blooms in Summer

Growing information: Also called purple coneflower, Echinacea is a pollinator-friendly native perennial that does well in full sun or partial shade. Plant 18-24" apart. Great for bouquets, and the roots, flowers, and leaves are used medicinally. Can re-bloom if cut back mid-summer.

Gomphrena: Annual, Blooms in Summer

Growing information: Plant in full sun 6-8" apart. Great accent flower for bouquets- small round flowers on long stems. Holds color well when dried!

Nasturtium: Annual, Blooms in Spring/Summer, Variety: Alaska

Growing information: Nasturtium are edible, with a peppery flavor and a beautiful orange-red flower. Plant in full sun after danger of last frost. Great for containers. Can overwinter inside with plenty of sunlight.

Nigella: Annual, Blooms in Spring, Variety: Mrs. Jekyll

Growing information: Full sun, average soil with good drainage. Plant 6-9" apart. Nigella is great for early season color, with it's dark blue, feathery flowers.

Snapdragon: Annual, Blooms in Late Spring, Varieties: Appleblossom, Royal, Orange,

Growing information: Bright colored, cool weather blooming cut flower. Can be mid-sized and bushy, or tall and slender, depending on pruning (ask us for more info). Snapdragons do well in full sun or part shade, but require rich, moist soil. Good for containers or in-ground.

Strawflower: Annual, Blooms in Summer, Varieties: Copper Red, Deep Red, Peach, and Silvery Rose

Growing information: Plant in full sun, 12" apart. Strawflowers are drought tolerant, but don't want wet feet. Bright pink, yellow, orange, and red blooms that feel dry like straw look great in bouquets, and maintain color well when dried.

Sunflower: Annual, Blooms in Summer, Variety: Sunrich Summer Provence

Growing information: Bright orange petals with dark centers. Requires full sun and well drained soil. Space at least 6" apart. Harvest when almost fully open- blooms will open fully, and last longer, once cut.

Viola: Annual, blooms in Spring, Varieties: Majestic Giant, Helen Mount

Growing information: Great for early spring color in beds or containers, violas do well in full sun to part shade. Plant 6" apart. Flowers are edible. Majestic Giants are larger, multicolored flowers, and Helen Mounts are classic yellow and purple Johnny Jump Ups. Clip dead flowers from plant to encourage re-blooming.

Zinnia: Annual, Blooms in Summer, Varieties: Sunbow Mix, Oklahoma Mix, Jazzy Mix

Growing information: Require full sun and rich soil. Plant 9-12" apart. Great for borders, or in containers. Bright, long lasting blooms in a variety of colors, do well in bouquets.